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Chapter 20 – Winterfell
Snow crunched beneath the hooves of Alyssa's black stallion as the towers of Winterfell finally came into view.
Beside the road, the banners of House Stark snapped in the cold northern wind.
Home.
Arlenna sat proudly in front of Alyssa in the saddle, bundled in thick furs, her small hands gripping the pommel as she looked around with wide, excited eyes.
"Castle!" she announced loudly.
Alyssa laughed softly behind her. "That's right, little wolf. Winterfell."
Arlenna looked up toward the massive keep, scrunching her little nose.
"Ours prettier," she declared confidently.
Alyssa laughed again, louder this time.
Behind them, the carriage rolled steadily onward. Inside, Margaery sat with Tavion in her lap, the little boy half-awake and blinking sleepily at the movement outside.
Several carts followed close behind, loaded with gifts, food, fabrics, and supplies from Moat Cailin.
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Inside Winterfell, Arya Stark was in the middle of escaping her embroidery lesson.
Again.
The moment Septa Mordane turned her attention toward Sansa's stitching, Arya slipped from her chair and darted toward the doorway.
She hurried through the halls toward the wall , planning her escape route before anyone could drag her back to lessons.
She had almost made it free when movement beyond the courtyard caught her eye.
Then she saw her.
Alyssa.
Riding up towards the gates of Winterfell like she belonged there as much as the snow and stone themselves.
Arya froze.
Then grinned.
"Alyssa!"
She spun around and bolted through the halls.
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Catelyn Stark was already searching for her youngest daughter.
She turned the corner just as Arya nearly crashed into her.
"Arya Stark," Catelyn began sharply, "if you skipped your lessons again—"
"Alyssa is here!" Arya blurted.
Catelyn stopped instantly.
"What?"
"She's here! With Margaery and the babies!"
The lecture vanished before it fully formed.
Catelyn's expression softened immediately.
"Go tell your father," she said quickly. "Now."
Arya blinked.
No lecture.
No punishment.
She wiped imaginary sweat from her brow dramatically.
"Saved," she muttered under her breath before sprinting off again.
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Arya passed the solar where Sansa sat with Septa Mordane.
"Arya!" the septa snapped. "Return here this instant—"
"Alyssa's here!" Arya shouted as she raced past.
Sansa gasped.
"She is?"
Without another thought, Sansa immediately set down her needlework and stood.
"Sansa!" Septa Mordane protested.
But Sansa was already hurrying from the room, smiling brightly.
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Arya found the boys training in the yard.
Robb.
Jon.
Bran.
Rickon.
And Theon Greyjoy.
Wooden swords clacked together as Ser Jory Cassel barked corrections.
Arya didn't slow down.
"Alyssa's here!" she yelled.
Every one of them turned.
Robb immediately broke into a grin.
Jon's entire face softened.
Even Theon looked pleased.
"About damn time," he muttered.
Bran nearly dropped his practice sword trying to hurry forward.
Rickon simply shouted, "Alyssa!"
The group immediately started toward the keep entrance.
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Arya found Ned Stark in his solar with Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik.
Ned looked up just as she burst through the door.
"Arya," he began, clearly preparing to scold her for running through the keep.
Then he noticed the enormous grin on her face.
His expression shifted.
"What happened?"
Arya beamed.
"Alyssa's here."
For a moment, Ned simply stared.
Then he stood immediately.
Whatever discussion had been happening was forgotten.
"Come," he said.
Together, they headed for the courtyard.
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Outside, Alyssa guided her horse through the gates of Winterfell.
The courtyard buzzed with sudden movement as guards and servants hurried to help unload the carts.
Alyssa swung down smoothly from the saddle before lifting Arlenna carefully into her arms.
The little girl looked around excitedly.
Then she spotted Catelyn.
"Grandmother!"
Before Alyssa could stop her, Arlenna wriggled free and bolted across the courtyard.
Catelyn laughed softly in surprise as the toddler slammed into her legs.
"There's my sweet girl," she said warmly, lifting her granddaughter into her arms.
Nearby, the carriage finally rolled to a stop.
Alyssa moved quickly toward it, opening the door and offering Margaery a hand.
Margaery accepted it gracefully, stepping down while holding a still sleepy Tavion against her shoulder.
The additional carts rolled into place nearby, servants already moving to unload them out of the way.
Alyssa, Margaery, and Tavion headed toward Catelyn and Sansa.
"As requested, Mother," Alyssa said with exaggerated seriousness, "I, along with Margaery and our children, have arrived as demanded."
Catelyn laughed.
Sansa reached them first.
She threw her arms around Alyssa immediately.
"You've been gone forever," Sansa complained softly.
Alyssa hugged her tightly. "Missed you too, little bird."
Sansa then turned and hugged Margaery warmly before carefully taking Tavion into her arms.
"Hello, sweetheart," she cooed softly.
Catelyn set Arlenna down just as the boys arrived.
Arlenna immediately ran toward them.
"Uncle Robb! Uncle Jon! Uncle Bran! Uncle Rik!"
She gave each of them tiny enthusiastic hugs while Rickon laughed loudly.
Even Jon smiled fully as he scooped her up briefly into his arms.
Meanwhile, Catelyn reached for Alyssa.
"Let me look at you," she said.
She turned Alyssa slightly, inspecting her carefully like she always did.
"You've gotten thinner," Catelyn declared immediately.
Alyssa groaned. "Mother—"
Then Catelyn pulled her into a fierce hug anyway.
For several long moments, the courtyard filled with greetings, embraces, and overlapping voices.
Warmth.
Family.
Home.
Finally, Arya appeared again with Ned Stark walking behind her.
The moment Alyssa saw him, her expression softened.
She stepped forward immediately.
"Hello, Father," she said quietly.
Ned didn't answer at first.
He simply pulled her into a tight embrace.
And for the first time since arriving—
Alyssa truly felt home again.
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By supper, the entirety of Winterfell seemed warmer.
The great hall glowed with firelight and laughter, the long tables filled with food, drink, and the overlapping voices of family reunited.
Servants moved back and forth carrying platters piled high with roasted meat, fresh bread, vegetables, and warm stew.
At the center of it all sat Alyssa and Margaery with their children.
Arlenna currently occupied Sansa's lap, happily babbling while Sansa listened with complete seriousness as if every word was important.
Meanwhile, Tavion sat on Alyssa's lap while she patiently fed him small bites from her own plate.
The little boy was already beginning to droop sleepily between bites.
Nearby, several opened chests revealed gifts brought from Moat Cailin.
Fine Reach fabrics.
Warm northern furs.
Books.
Candied sweets for the younger children.
New tools and supplies.
And enough preserved food to help strengthen Winterfell's stores for the coming winter.
Ned looked over the gathered supplies before turning toward his daughter.
"You brought too much," he said.
Alyssa snorted softly.
"There's no such thing as too much food before winter."
Ned's expression softened.
"Still," he said quietly, "thank you."
Alyssa inclined her head slightly.
"Moat Cailin prospers because Winterfell stood behind us when it mattered," she replied simply. "The North survives together."
Across the table, Catelyn, Margaery, and Sansa spoke quietly together while Arlenna proudly showed Sansa one of the small carved wolf toys Alyssa had brought her.
"And then Muna said no climbing the tower," Arlenna explained seriously.
Sansa smiled. "And did you listen?"
Arlenna looked scandalized.
"No."
Margaery sighed dramatically into her cup.
"She is absolutely Alyssa's child."
"You encouraged her," Alyssa called from farther down the table.
Margaery smiled sweetly. "Of course I did."
Laughter rippled through the table.
A little farther down, Alyssa now sat surrounded by Arya, Robb, Jon, Bran, Rickon, and Theon.
Arya leaned forward eagerly.
"Tell us another one," she demanded.
Alyssa groaned dramatically.
"Father already thinks I'm a bad influence."
"You are," Robb said immediately.
"Correct," Theon added.
Alyssa raised an eyebrow slowly. "Did you really yourself in that statement, instead of me?"
The boys immediately burst into laughter.
Even Jon failed to hide his grin behind his cup.
Alyssa pointed accusingly at them. "Traitors. All of you."
Rickon climbed halfway into Alyssa's side while Bran listened with wide-eyed fascination.
"Fine," Alyssa relented. "But if Margaery gets mad again, I'm blaming all of you."
Margaery raised a brow from across the hall.
"Again?"
Alyssa ignored her.
"So there I was," she began dramatically, "halfway up the side of a cliff because apparently normal roads are beneath me—"
"They are," Arya interrupted immediately.
"Exactly," Alyssa agreed.
Robb laughed.
"And then," Alyssa continued, "the damn rope snapped."
Bran gasped.
Rickon looked horrified.
Theon burst out laughing.
"You fell?"
"Briefly," Alyssa corrected.
Jon shook his head. "You absolutely fell."
"The important part," Alyssa continued with dignity, "is that I survived."
"Barely," Margaery called without looking up from her conversation. "And you won't be doing that again for awhile."
Margaery glanced toward Catelyn with long-suffering amusement. "Has she always been this reckless and, honestly, this stupid?"
Catelyn laughed outright.
So did Sansa.
"Since the moment she could walk," Catelyn confirmed.
Arya cackled.
"And this," Alyssa muttered darkly, "is why I should never tell stories around family."
More laughter followed.
Warm.
Easy.
Home.
Eventually, Tavion let out a sleepy little sound and slumped fully against Alyssa's chest.
Alyssa glanced down before smiling softly.
"That's enough adventure for you," she murmured.
She carefully stood and handed Tavion over to the wet nurse they had brought with them.
"He's drifting off," Alyssa said quietly. "Put him down for the night."
Alyssa glanced toward Margaery. "Do you want Arlenna to head up as well?"
The wet nurse paused respectfully nearby, waiting.
Margaery looked toward their daughter, who was still happily leaning against Sansa while talking far too loudly for someone her age.
A fond smile crossed Margaery's face.
"Arlenna," she called gently.
The little girl looked over immediately.
"Give everyone kisses and hugs, then head to bed with your nursemaid."
Arlenna let out an exaggerated little sigh like she had been terribly burdened.
"Okay," she said dramatically.
The table laughed softly as she slid down from Sansa's lap and began making her rounds.
Arlenna waddled first toward Catelyn, stretching up until her grandmother leaned down enough for the toddler to plant a loud kiss on her cheek before wrapping her tiny arms around her neck.
"Goodnight, Grandmother," she said proudly.
Then she moved down the table, giving out hugs and sloppy kisses one by one.
Sansa received a dramatic kiss to both cheeks.
Robb nearly got tackled around the waist.
Rickon laughed so hard he almost fell off the bench when Arlenna grabbed his face with both hands to kiss his forehead.
Bran hugged her carefully while Jon lifted her briefly into the air, earning delighted giggles.
Even Theon wasn't spared.
Arlenna squinted up at him seriously before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek too.
Theon blinked in surprise while the others burst into laughter.
"Well," he said with mock pride, "clearly I'm her favorite."
Arlenna ignored him completely as she toddled back toward Alyssa instead.
"Night night, Muna," she said sleepily before wrapping her little arms around Alyssa's neck for one final hug.
Alyssa's entire expression softened as she hugged her daughter close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Goodnight, little wolf," she murmured warmly.
The woman nodded respectfully before carrying the sleeping boy from the hall, Arlenna's small hand tucked securely in her other hand as the little girl sleepily followed beside her.
Alyssa watched them go for a moment.
Then turned back toward the table.
Toward her family.
Toward the warmth.
And for just a little while longer, she allowed herself to forget that winter was coming.
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A few days later, Winterfell woke beneath a gray northern sky.
Beyond the castle walls, a group of Stark riders thundered across the snow-covered countryside in pursuit of a lone figure.
Will.
The Night's Watch ranger barely managed to stay ahead of them before the riders finally surrounded him.
Spears lowered.
Horses snorting clouds of white into the freezing air.
Ser Kormed Grayburn dismounted slowly and stepped in front of the exhausted ranger.
"You're a long way from Castle Black, ranger," he said grimly.
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Back in Winterfell's courtyard, life continued on.
Bran Stark stood in the middle of the yard with a bow clutched tightly in his hands.
Nearby stood Robb, Jon, Theon, Rickon, and Alyssa.
The cold morning air echoed with the sounds of training.
Bran released the arrow.
It missed completely.
The shaft struck a barrel instead of the target.
Bran groaned in frustration and stomped his foot.
Jon immediately walked over, resting a hand against Bran's shoulder.
"Go on," Jon encouraged. "Father's watching. And your mother."
Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "Oh, my wife too."
Sure enough, Ned, Catelyn, and Margaery stood along the upper walkway overlooking the yard. Margaery gave Alyssa a look while standing beside Catelyn, who currently held Tavion comfortably in her arms.
Alyssa immediately lifted both hands innocently.
"I haven't done anything wrong," she defended quickly. "I've been behaving."
Then she pointed directly at Theon.
"He did it."
Theon looked scandalized.
"What?"
Robb immediately burst into laughter.
Jon followed a second later, shaking his head.
"You walked right into that," Jon said.
Theon shoved Alyssa lightly in the shoulder.
"Traitor," he muttered.
Alyssa shoved him back.
"You're the one getting me blamed!"
"For once it wasn't even me!" Theon protested.
The two immediately started halfheartedly shoving at each other like overgrown children while Rickon laughed hysterically.
"Both of you," Margaery called sharply from above.
The play fighting stopped instantly.
Margaery crossed her arms.
"You are supposed to be helping Bran."
Alyssa straightened immediately.
"Yes, wife."
Theon looked deeply offended.
"Why am I the only one getting in trouble?"
Bran glanced upward towards his parents.
Ned gave his son an encouraging nod.
Bran straightened slightly.
Before he could nock another arrow, Alyssa stepped over and crouched beside him.
"Hey," she said gently.
Bran looked miserable.
"I keep missing."
Alyssa smiled softly.
"You're thinking too hard," she told him. "Stop trying to force the shot."
She reached over carefully, adjusting how he held the bow.
"Relax your shoulders. Feel the pull before you release."
Bran listened intently.
"And stop staring at the target like it insulted your honor," Alyssa added dryly.
Robb snorted.
Even Theon laughed.
Bran finally cracked a reluctant smile.
Alyssa ruffled his hair lightly before standing again.
"Try again, little wolf."
Bran nodded firmly and lifted the bow once more.
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Inside Winterfell's main keep, Septa Mordane continued her sewing lessons with the girls of the castle.
Sansa Stark sat properly at the table, posture perfect as always while Septa Mordane inspected her latest stitching.
"Fine work as always," the septa praised warmly. "Well done!"
Sansa smiled politely.
"Thank you."
Septa Mordane held up the fabric approvingly.
"I love the detail you've managed to get in these corners. Quite beautiful. The stitching..."
Across the room, Arya glanced toward them with open irritation.
Of course Sansa was perfect at this too.
Arya looked back down at her own miserable excuse for stitching with deep suspicion, as if the needle itself had personally betrayed her.
Still, she forced herself to continue.
For approximately three seconds.
Then from outside the keep, came the distant sounds of archery practice.
The thrum of bowstrings.
The shouts from the courtyard.
Arya's attention snapped immediately toward the window.
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