All Eddmina could think as Margaery led her through the gardens of High Garden was how much her sister would love it. In Eddmina's mind, Sansa belonged to a lifestyle like this, surrounded by beauty, happiness and sunshine. She, however, missed the snow and felt out of place, like a thorn surrounded by roses.

Thankfully, Margaery didn't seem to notice, not as she chatted to her contentedly, as if she was already her sister. Margaery had always seemed like the sort of girl who was completely secure in herself, even when she was in Winterfell, a place that was of no doubt out of her comfort zone as it was to so many other southerners, but now she was in her own environment, a rose surrounded by the flower bushes of the Reach once again, she seemed even more confident. Eddmina would've admired it, if she hadn't been so focused on herself and keeping her own emotions in check.

There were no gardens like this in Winterfell, the closest equivalent being the godswood, but that was a holy place. That was where she and her father would go to prey. It was a place of peace and tranquility. The grand gardens of High Garden were very different, seeming like a statement of the Tyrell's great wealth and status. That idea only seemed to be added upon when Margaery led her into an alcove among the flower bushes, where a white iron table was set. A mountain of food was set upon it, full of cakes and rolls and cheeses, food stuffs that would usually be reserved as delicacies in Winterfell. It was an overwhelming sight, but not nearly as overwhelming as the fact that sat at the table were three other women, one of them being lady Alerie, the other two complete strangers.

Eddmina assumed the first, sat at the head of the table, must be Lady Olenna, Willas' grandmother. An aged woman, wearing gold and a headdress to show status, she watched Eddmina with curiosity and a wry smile, as if the northern girl so far from home was an amusement. The other woman however must have only been a few years older than herself, and with her sun kissed skin and buttercup yellow hair, she was the most beautiful woman Eddmina had ever seen. Her eyes seemed to light up as she saw Eddmina, a warm smile growing on her face, and as soon as she was close enough, got up from her seat to hug the northern girl. This must be Leonette, Garlan's wife.

"You must be Eddmina! It's so wonderful to finally meet you," she greeted her as Margaery took a seat, and as soon as she broke away from their embrace she sat back down, gesturing for Eddmina to sit next to her.

"Edda this is Leonette, my sister-by-law, and this is my grandmother, Lady Olenna," Margaery introduced as Eddmina took a seat.

The older woman was still watching her with some interest, her emotions unreadable behind her sly smile, so Eddmina nodded her head at her respectfully, breaking her stoic, northern expression with a slight smile to be polite. She wasn't particularly nervous, mostly just aware of how out-of-place she appeared, and for someone who was so used to holding the power, it was different. She was used to people watching her out of respect, the people back home knowing her and liking her, whilst here it felt more like curiosity, like it had done when the Tyrells first arrived in Winterfell.

"Well, you certainly don't seem like the wildling we were promised," Lady Olenna mused eventually, and though it probably hadn't been long it felt like an agonising wait for her to speak her opinion. As soon as she'd spoken though, she must have noticed Eddmina furrow her eyebrows slightly as he let out a smug laugh and continued, "Perhaps there is more Riverlands to you than the North,"

That only confused and irritated Eddmina more. She didn't look anything like her mother, not like Sansa or her little brothers. Even if Robb was her twin she favoured the Stark traits far more than him, with her and Arya the only ones to take on their father's dark hair rather than their mother's flaming red. She looked nothing like the Tully's, and she certainly didn't feel any sort of loyalty to the Riverlands. She was northern.

"Forgive me, my lady, but in all my life I've only been to Riverrun twice, and it didn't agree with me," she spoke calmly, smiling politely again. "I'm of the North for sure,"

"I expected you to be like the wolf of your house," she stated bluntly. "You're actually rather pretty-looking,"

"Oh, grandmother, leave her be," Margaery laughed lightly, as if it was all a bit of fun, though she had probably remembered how nervous Eddmina had been earlier on in the privacy of her room.

"What do you think of High Garden so far?" Leonette asked with a small smile that almost seemed apologetic. "It's probably quite different from what you're used to,"

"It is," she agreed, feeling her chest tighten ever so slightly out of nerves and the thought of home, so far away. "It's definitely different... definitely warmer,"

The whole table was looking at her, as if waiting for something a bit more compelling, an expression of love for Winterfell yet a developing fondness for the Reach, and though Eddmina could have easily given them that, she stayed quiet instead. She wasn't just going to say something for the sake of it, especially when it was to do with her home and her feelings, but the southerners around her clearly expected her to. For a moment they all seemed to watch her expectantly, until she kept quiet and the realised she had nothing more to say. Somehow it amused Lady Olenna as she let out a short laugh, and Eddmina tried desperately not to feel uncomfortable.

"You must be hungry, Eddmina," lady Alerie said after a moment, and Eddmina realised that the other women had begun eating. "Please, help yourself,"

She nodded politely, and immediately picked up one of the small bread rolls, spreading some sort of cheese across it. It was rich and delicious, the sort of thing she'd only really get at home on special occasions. Her father wasn't one for decadence, not when it came to food and everyday meals. The thought of home and her father made her wonder what her family were all doing in that exact moment, but she quickly stopped herself, knowing it would only cause her pain.

'Come on, Edda, this is your family now, this is what you've always been preparing yourself for,' she heard Theon's voice sneering in the back of her head yet again. 'Don't coward out now,'

The last person Eddmina ever envisioned her taking advice from in this situation was Theon, but her subconscious bullying of herself manifested in his voice seemed the most helpful thing to her as she sat at that table. Realising the conversation had gone on without her, she tried to engage herself back with the other women, nodding along with what they were saying, listening carefully to everything they were saying, and though she didn't speak up herself she found paying attention rather helpful in figuring out the southerners.

Despite spending relatively no time with Lady Alerie back in Winterfell, Eddmina liked her. She seemed kind, like Willas, and she obviously cared about her children a great deal. Part of her reminded Eddmina of her mother, but only part of her, the similarities ending at the maternal love they both had. Whilst Alerie was gentle and loving, Lady Olenna was the opposite. It was obvious she loved her family too, but in a less expected way, and she was fearless in speaking her mind, a refreshing characteristic for a woman to have in Westeros. Eddmina liked her sharp tongue, but she knew she wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of one of her cutting comments, and so decided to tread carefully around her, at least until she was settled in properly.

Surprisingly the one who intimidated her the most around the table was Leonette. Not only was she beautiful, far more beautiful than any other woman Eddmina had ever met, she was also Garlan's wife. Eddmina liked Garlan, but she knew both he and his wife had a close bond to Willas, and if Leonette didn't like her she'd surely be influential over her betrothed. They might be in a similar situation in both marrying into House Tyrell, but Leonette was a southerner, more likely to fit in down south, and she was worried that compared to her she would seem even more out of place.

Eventually the conversation changed onto the topic of the wedding. It was only a few weeks away and there was still a lot left to organise. Eddmina smiled and nodded along, knowing that even though it was her wedding she didn't really mind, happy for the Tyrells to do as they wanted with it all. They'd covered practically everything, from her dress to the food, when they settled on the topic of guests an who they were inviting and sending ravens to.

"Are you sending a raven to my family too, inviting them to the wedding?" Eddmina asked before the conversation could change. She realised how stupid the question sounded, so she quickly added, "I just wondered if you could specify that the whole family was invited?"

"Why wouldn't the whole family be invited?" Lady Alerie asked with a small frown.

"Well, I know all the Starks will come, I just wanted to make sure my brother Jon was invited specifically, so he wouldn't get left at home," she explained. Realisation hit the rest of the table as the other women nodded, a small smirk appearing on both Leonette and Margaery's faces. "I don't want him being left behind just because he's got a different last name to the rest of my siblings,"

"Very well," Lady Olenna nodded, letting out a dry laugh of surprise. "Perhaps you are a wildling after all,"

***

"So, mother and father want to keep you separated from Eddmina until the wedding?" Garlan asked, his expression caught between a frown and a smirk of amusement as he leant against one of the stable doors, watching as he brother tended to one of his many horses. "Is that why you've asked Leonette to look after her?"

The stables were always where Willas went to clear his thoughts, either that or the kennels where he kept his hounds, but that day in particular he and Garlan went out to tend to the horses. It was one of his passions, breeding and rearing horses, and he had certainly missed all the ones he'd left behind whilst in the North. It would have been rather relaxing, but his mind was far too fixed on his betrothed, wondering how she was settling in.

It had been Garlan who told him Eddmina was having lunch with the other women, a thought that terrified him. He didn't know how his grandmother would behave around her, and he hated to think that of Eddmina was being overwhelmed by everything. He wanted to go and speak to her as soon as their lunch session was complete, but he also didn't want to bother her, the old insecurity from Winterfell rearing it's head once more.

He wanted to make sure she was at least made to feel welcome in her new home though, so if he couldn't look after her he'd at least make sure his sisters would look out for her, the title of sister definitely extending to Garlan's wife.

"They haven't explicitly said anything, but why else would her chambers be on the third floor?" Willas pointed out, raising an eyebrow as he gestured down to his bad leg, turning his focus back onto the pure white mare he was checking over. "And I didn't ask Leo to look after her, I just didn't trust grandmother not to terrify Mina,"

"She doesn't seem easy to terrify," Garlan pointed out, though he caught Willas' expression and let out a laugh. "Though I have to admit, grandmother does terrify me sometimes,"

"And me, so point proven," Willas nodded, combing through the mare's mane with his fingers. "Not to mention Leo's been in Mina's position, it was only two years ago that she joined the family and she's settled in perfectly, I just want to make sure Mina will be alright,"

Garlan let out another laugh, finding it amusing how much his brother clearly cared about the Stark, even if he wasn't sure on his feelings himself. Willas glared over at him so he merely shook his head, trying to hide his smirk. With a sigh, Willas finished up with his horse, giving her one last pat on the neck before he went back to the stable door. He shoved open the stable door, making Garlan stumble slightly, and though he tried not to laugh Willas took it as revenge for his brother laughing at him. Once the door was locked secure he turned to look out towards the gardens where he knew Eddmina was, but quickly looked back to Garlan, not wanting his brother to tease him any more.

"You didn't seem to care about having to stay away from her on the road," Garlan pointed out, reminding his brother of all the late nights the three of them spend in inn taverns. "Why're you so nervous about her?"

"How long did it take us to get from our home to Winterfell?" Willas asked with a small sigh. "She's so far away from her family and everything she's ever known, I just want her to not be regretful about it all or just accept that this is her life because our parents made a deal. I want her to be happy,"

"So if you want her to be happy you clearly like her a great deal," Garlan reasoned. "You might as well just go find her the moment grandmother has done interrogating her and tell her. All it takes is for you to just say that you want to make sure she's alright and that she's settling in fine,"

"She might actually appreciate that," a new voice called, and both men turned to look and see Leonette approaching them, her golden hair glistening in the sunlight.

As soon as he saw his wife Garlan grinned, and quickly pulled her into an embrace the moment she was close enough, placing a kiss onto her cheek. They were always an affectionate couple, though they could be private with the rest of the family Willas was the only one trusted to see such displays. Even as they parted Garlan kept his arm wrapped tightly around Leonette's waist, holding her close. Willas felt a little jealous, wanting to experience that sort of bond with someone. Whenever he'd played witness to such displays in the past he'd imagined the future and himself acting like that with someone who he loved dearly, and though in those fantasies before the woman receiving his affections remained faceless, he was shocked to find himself now picturing his northern betrothed, imagining the way she would smile when he kissed her, or the way she would wrap her own arms around his shoulders to hold him close. Quickly though Willas was reminded of all of his nerves over Eddmina and he came to his senses, back to a reality where he was on his own, Eddmina just his betrothed rather than loving wife. Still, it had made a nice thought, even if he thought it completely unattainable.

He tried to take his mind off his betrothed by instead focusing on the arrival of Leonette. Except forgetting Eddmina became hard when he realised Leonette, who he'd asked to look after the northern girl, had come to the stables alone.

"Where's Mina?" He asked, and both Garlan and his wide exchanged a look, laughing quietly to themselves. "It's not funny!"

"Oh, Will, it so is! You've only been back a couple of hours and I can already tell you're so love struck by her, even if you don't know it properly yourself yet!" Leonette laughed, making Garlan look over at his brother, raising his eyebrows in a way that screamed 'I told you so'. "But seriously, don't worry about her so badly. After eating Margaery and I showed her back to her room. She's fine, if not a little quiet,"

"She always is, she's thoughtful, I don't think she's ever said anything to me that she hasn't thoroughly thought through beforehand," Willas explained, hiding his relief that she was mostly fine.

"And what did our grandmother think to Will's dear betrothed?" Garlan asked, and Willas rolled his eyes, hating how the married couple could now unite to tease him.

"Other than calling her a wildling she was quite respectable, much nicer than she was with me," Leonette shrugged, smirking at the memory of first joining the Tyrell's. "There's still time, I'm sure a full interrogation isn't ruled out completely, not since the whole betrothal was her idea. Maybe instead of worrying about Olenna you should actually focus your energies on Eddmina. You might think she's thoughtful and so naturally quiet, but I think she'd appreciate you talking to her,"

"If she's in her room I can't go and talk to her," Willas pointed out almost awkwardly, though he felt bad for stating the obvious the moment the look of guilt appeared on his sister's face.

"Why don't you write her something?" Garlan suggested instead. "If you're useless at talking to her in person maybe a note would help?"

***

That evening after eating alone in her chambers, Eddmina was trying to take her mind off how warm she was by lying on her bed, reading one of the few books she'd brought with her from Winterfell. Every so often she felt her stomach dip, an embodiment of her nerves, as if her body was trying to remind her that she wasn't at home, and it didn't help that the feather mattress she was sat upon was far more comfortable than the one she was used to at home to the extent it was almost uncomfortable. She seemed to be surrounded by little reminders that she was so far away from everything she knew, and though she'd been in High Garden nearly a whole day being surrounded by people helped to take her mind off her homesickness. Now she was alone though, she felt the full extent of it, not realising just how sick she felt to be far away from the north.

Reading helped though. The book, from the depths of the library at Winterfell, had small notes written in, written by past maesters to add to the story the book was trying to tell. It smelt like home too, and every time she turned a page she lifted it up to her nose, taking in the scent. If someone was to see her she'd look absurd, smelling a book, but she was completely alone, and the smell was a comfort. The story too, a tale of the wall and the rangers of the nights watch reminded her of her brothers, reminded her that life was still going on in the north, that there were still protectors on the wall guarding the whole seven kingdoms from unknown dangers; some people had it a lot harder than her.

Eddmina just reached the end of a chapter when she heard a quiet knock at the door. It was so quiet she wondered if she'd imagined it, but she got up, placing the book down onto the bedside table and heading over to the door. As she was about to open it she panicked slightly, realising she was only dressed in a thin nightgown, much thinner than anything she'd worn at home, so without knowing what else to do she pulled the sheet off the bed, wrapping it around her in the hopes that it would give her more decency.

In the end though it didn't matter, not as she opened the door and saw no one waiting for her. At first she wondered if the person had gotten bored waiting for her and gone, and then she considered it being a prank, like when Arya used to knock on her door at home then hide around the corner to make her jump. Soon she realised it was neither as she saw a folded piece of paper on the  ground. She collected it, shutting the door quickly in embarrassment, hoping no one had seen her wrapped in her sheet, and once she had laid the sheet back onto the bed she unfolded the paper.

It had been folded with such precision, and the handwriting was neat and tidy, as if whoever had written it had taken such care to make it perfect. She saw her name addressed at the top, or at least part of her name. 'Mina'. It was a nickname she was still unused to, but it was one she'd begun to like, just because the only person who called her that was Willas.

'Mina.
Please accept my sincerest apologies for not coming to see you upon our return to high garden. I have been preoccupied with tending to my animals after being apart from them for so long, though that is no excuse for neglecting you. I hope my sisters looked after you in my place, and I hope my grandmother wasn't too harsh with you.
I wanted to write to express to you what I don't feel capable to say. I know you were not eager for a betrothal, still hesitant for marriage and unprepared to leave your family, and I will forever be sorry that you have had to leave behind so much. Despite this, I do hope you will be happy here in High Garden. In Winterfell I met a captivating woman who made me feel alive when I was around her. She showed me life in a different way, the only way a northerner can, and this poor southerner was enraptured. Your beauty is unlike anything I have ever experienced, your spirit enchanting, and your laugh leaves me wishing to forever amuse you. Even with a betrothal, I hope that if we were to have met under different circumstances you would have shown me the same kindness I have gladly been victim to over the few weeks we have known each other. We are not under different circumstances and we are to be married regardless, so all I can do is promise to care for you, and try and be the best possible husband that you deserve. 
Perhaps you will join me tomorrow before breakfast. I'll be heading to the kennels to walk my hounds out to the nearby woodlands and I would love for you to join me. It would be a perfect opportunity for us to talk and for me to show you around my home.
Yours, Willas.'

She read the letter over and over again, trying to work out his exact meanings. Remembering the night in the Godswood just before she had to leave Winterfell, she recalled how caring he was to her, so these words were not surprising. She found herself stroking her thumb over the ink, imagining him writing it, hunched over a desk, a frown of focus playing across his face as he searched for the right words. He'd certainly found them. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, the empty pit of anxiety now full of a buzzing excitement that someone would write such things about her. 'Captivating... beautiful...enchanting', did she really deserve someone writing such things about her, did she really deserve Willas of all people writing them about her?

It was overwhelming, thinking that he thought that about her. She liked him too, she enjoyed his company and thought he was interesting, not to mention clever, always having a fact about something in nature. All the time they'd spent together in the north riding or in the library, she enjoyed his presence, finding him a calming breath of fresh air, providing a new perspective to her life as he was the first man she'd ever met from the Reach, but the whole time he'd been having thoughts of admiration about her?

It didn't feel right, she felt undeserving, especially as she remembered one afternoon they were in the library together. She was showing him one of her favourite books, stories from beyond the wall written by the rangers of the nights watch, telling him about how her Uncle Benjen had read it to her one night when he was visiting Winterfell. She was talking to him as he looked over the book, and when she looked up at him and saw how he was frowning in interest, his eyebrows furrowed together, his hand running through his curly hair, she realised he was probably one of the most attractive men she'd ever met. Even on the road travelling down to the Reach Eddmina was constantly noticing different features of his appearance, like the golden flecks in his green eyes, or how he'd not trimmed his beard since leaving Winterfell. After reading his letter and thinking through all her memories of him, she realised her feelings towards Willas were similar to his for her, though she hadn't paid them any mind until that moment.

Realising her feelings wasn't nearly as overwhelming as she thought it would be. Instead, Eddmina felt almost comforted by the fact that she liked Willas. For some reason she didn't feel as lonely, and even as she got into bed she continued to read the letter over and over, the words running wild through her mind until she fell asleep, the letter resting on the pillow next to her.

***
Word count: 4324

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