The Wolf, the Stag and the Snake (Book 1) - ASOIAF Fanfiction

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It had been few days since Antea and her mother had found out that the dagger belonged to the Imp. Antea damned that little man, him and all of his kin. Maybe he wanted Bran dead to protect his brother the Kingslayer. Catelyn still believed that Bran has been thrown out that window by Ser Jaime Lannister and Antea thought the same.

My prayers are with him, he had told her once.

Antea's eyes were fixed on the road visible from the window of the inn. Near her the dagger was shining and for the first time she wished for someone to be dead. Her eyes stung by anger and fear by her own thoughts. Does she really wanted the Imp to die? She wanted justice. But her hands trembled when she realized that she would have liked to kill him herself.

That's not me, she thought with tears in her eyes.

She wanted Robb there with her hugging her and telling her everything would be alright and making silly jokes he had heard from Theon. Silly but they had always made her smile, like the Greyjoy boy. She wanted to sing and praying to the gods with Sansa. She wanted a hug from Rickon and to ride with Arya. Talking till late night with Cyel and feeling the reassuring presence of her bastard brother Jon Snow, always quiet but always there. She wanted her sweet brother Bran awake and smiling.

"Antea, are you alright?" Antea rubbed her eyes, at her mother's question.

She wanted to go home, she just wanted to be in Winterfell, not in that place full of strange people, who know everyone's moves and secrets. She wanted her father and feel safe again.

"Just thinking" Antea answered not turning to her mother, afraid to let her down by her behavior. She had to be brave, brave like Robb.

Shadow was next to Antea, sitting next to her against her leg, nuzzling her nose on her when Antea felt sad or angry.

"Have you eaten?" Ser Rodrick had brought breakfast, beacon and sausages and even a fried fish. Antea had barely eaten her beacon; her stomach was twisted in a constant knot.

"A bit" she said "I'll eat later"

"Later is now" her mother said in her serious tone, the one that was able to stop even Robb from laughing "Come eat with me" Antea turned to her mother, her auburn hair tight in a braid, her dress was plain and blue, there was no sigil on it; not the direwolf of the Starks nor the fish of the Tullys. Her hands were still wrapped in bandages, that Antea changed every time she could, but her two last fingers had still trouble to move because of the cut.

They ate together, set next to each other on the bed. Antea almost laughed. Her mother never wanted for her and her brothers to eat in bed, once she reproved Ned for letting them have lemon cakes. They were so young at that time, Rickon wasn't even born, Theon and Cyel had just arrived and Ned spent all the day with all of them because it was Sansa's name day and he told them stories. Antea remembered how Robb and Jon pretended to be the knights in those stories making them laugh. Even Bran that couldn't even talk at that time, had laughed looking at them.

A knock came from the door and Antea looked her mother who put a hand on her leg.

"Who is it?" Catelyn asked.

"It's me, my lady" the voice of Ser Rodrick calmed Antea and she looked her mother standing up and opening the wooden door. Antea looked at Ser Rodrick, he was wearing a poor brown cloth with crimson cape, like many people in King's Landing. She wouldn't have recognized him if she hadn't known him.

Behind Ser Rodrick there was a little man with a dark pointy beard on his chin and green-grey clever eyes.

Littlefinger.

"Cat" he said stepping in the room bowing with a grin.

"Petyr?" her mother frown standing up "Why are you here?" The man's smirk never left his face as he walked closer to Catelyn.

"Believe me, you'll be glad I've come to you" he said closer to her mother. Antea was about to move when a loud growl echoed in the room. Everyone turned and saw Shadow came out, pacing the room. She walked with her golden eyes fixed on the little man, her teeth weren't bare but her posture suggest to Littlefinger not to come any closer. 

The man followed Shadow's every move with wide eyes and the wolf did the same to him positioning herself between Catelyn and Baelish.

"Is that a wolf?" He asked.

"Don't be afraid, Lord Baelish" Antea said moving forward, stopping next to her mother "She attacks only when she's told to" the man looked at her, studying the young lady with his green-grey eyes. Littlefinger looked at her in a completely different way than he did with her mother and Antea didn't know how to feel about him. She couldn't understand his gaze on her, but she understood too well the one he gave to her mother.

"Lady Antea" he said with a vicious smile "Had the air of the South riled your grey eyes?"

"You have no idea, lord Baelish" Antea answered without diverting her eyes from the man before her.

"Why are you here, Petyr?" her mother asked again, making the both of them to look at her.

"I just wanted to inform you that the Hand is about to arrive in King's Landing"

Her mother's eyes light up "Ned…".

On Antea's lips appeared a smile. Her father had arrived, they could have seen him. She wanted to meet him, Antea had missed her father so much and maybe she could have seen her sisters too.

"Can you bring him here?" Catelyn said with hope in her voice.

"No" then why was he even there? Antea thought. Littlefinger was a strange man, she couldn't understand him. "But I can bring you to him, my lady" he added with his usual grin "There is a secret place where you won't be followed and I'll bring the Hand to you personally" her mother smiled at him, full of gratitude.

"Thank you, Petyr" Catelyn said taking the cloak and the dagger "Let's go Antea" 

"I can come with you?" Antea asked to be sure she heard her correctly.

"Of course" Catelyn said with a joyful smile "Don't you want to see your father?"

Antea smile was so wide to shown all her white teeth "More than anything in the world"

The young lady pet Shadow's head before following her mother out the door behind Littlefinger. She didn't like the man, but maybe he honestly wanted to help them. If not why bring them to her father?

They left the inn, but they didn't take the main road. The walked through the inner streets. There were fish markets, Antea had seen those rarely, in Winterfell the fish was brought from other parts of the North. There were blacksmiths' emporiums, she liked those with the newest armors and weapon forged, at home Mikken was their blacksmith, her brothers and Theon usually went to him to see his new works. Here even armors and weapons weren't simple, still beautiful without doubts.

The Northerns weren't people who loved splendorous things, they like simpleness. Antea remembered the first time she saw Cyel's dresses, full of embroideries and jewels, and her hair with hairbands or flowers or pearls. People looked at her strangely at first, so colorful and different. It was easy to understand that she was from the South of the Neck. Antea liked Cyel's dresses but she wouldn't feel at ease wearing them.

The streets weren't dark, nor even empty but she noticed that there weren't children. There were mostly people who were working, too focused on what they were doing to pay attention to them. 

"Leave your dog behind was a clever choice" Littlefinger said "It's not a very quiet pet" Antea was about to answer but Ser Rodrick talked instead "I wouldn't worry about that, my lord" the young lady and the master-at-arms looked at each other before smile.

The four of them turned a corner and Antea stopped when she saw the place before her. A stone building, with a huge wooden door and a red oil lamp hanging on its side, men entered with huge grins on their faces. Catelyn was looking at the building too before Littlefinger stopped before the door.

"Shall we?"

"A brothel?" Her mother asked skeptically. Antea crossed her arms over her chest while men walked past them, eyeing the two women. She felt uneasy, couldn't they stay at the inn?

"No one will be looked for fine ladies in here, not of your kind anyway" Antea shook her head at his grin but she followed her mother inside without a word.

The place was full of rooms, Antea felt relieved in seeing them all closed. Her mother was close to Antea like she was trying to protect her, and the girl couldn't wait to enter in a room far away from there. Ser Rodrick had been told to wait outside, her mother was wise, she told him that Ned would have never entered there without proves they were inside and only Ser Rodrick could have convinced him.

"Here we are" Littlefinger said opening the door of a room "You'll be staying here until my return" the room was small and thankfully there was no one in there.

"Is this a study or something?" Antea asked wide eyed, there was no bed, just a table with parchments on it and chairs.

"It's mine" Antea turned to him. He owned a brothel? What kind of man can own something like it? A growl was heard and the three of them turned to the corner of the room, from under a crimson curtain Shadow come out and positioned herself between the ladies and the man, who looked at the wolf without words.

"How could it...?" Shadow must have slipped inside before the door was closed. Antea looked at her pup proudly before grinning at Littlefinger.

"Petyr, please go take Ned" her mother said eager to see her husband and leave that place.

"Of... Of course, Cat" he said bowing before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

He was helping them, but Antea wasn't sure of what to think of a man who run such a business, especially a lord. 

Lords frequently met women of that sort, not all lords were loyal to their wives like her father. Well, her father hadn't always been loyal to her mother. Was it possible that his father had come in such a place? Was it possible that Jon's mother was a woman of that business?

"That's why you hate Jon?" Antea asked suddenly making her mother turn to her "Because maybe his mother is a…"

"I don't care who his mother is" Catelyn replayed shortly and Antea frowned. The idea of her father in a place like that hurt her. Could her father use a woman like that? Antea thought before that her mother's behavior towards Jon was because he was the proof of Ned's betrayal, but maybe it was even because her mother didn't want a man like that with her and maybe that was why he never went to another brothel again. But then how could she not care?

"Why?" She asked, her mother took a breath.

"He was young and at war" Catelyn spoke "And we barely knew each other"

"But then why...?"

"Not now, Antea" Catelyn interrupted her. She justified Ned but not Jon, why? Why did she hate Jon even though she didn't even want to know who his mother was? She couldn't understand.

They set in silence for an hour or so. Antea pet Shadow's fur while her mother looked eagerly at the door and then back at the dagger. It was afternoon and even Antea couldn't wait to see her father, soon the negative thought she was having had been thrown aside, she just wanted to see him. He was an honorable man he had proved it every day and he had always treated everyone gently, she decided not to care about the past.

The door suddenly opened to reveal her father. Ned was there with his grey eyes looking at them to be sure they were actually there. Antea stood up and run into her father's arms, the man immediately hugged her close, giving kisses on her hair and on the side of her head. She had missed his hugs so much and the comfort they gave, like he did when she was just a baby and had a nightmare. Then he broke the hug before looking at Catelyn. Her parents looked at each other in silence but with tears in their eyes.

"My lady" he muttered before Catelyn run straight into his arms, they hugged close never wanting to let go. Antea looked at them with a smile, while Shadow run around them waving her tail happily.

"Oh good" Littlefinger said making Antea glance at him "You've recognized her" why was he even here, that was a Stark moment.

But her parents didn't seem to have noticed him "I was afraid you would never come, my lord" her mother said "Petyr told me what have happened to the girls" Antea looked down. Littlefinger had told them that Prince Joffrey got hurt by Nymeria. The direwolf had gone and the king had ordered the death of Lady. She couldn't believe that they made her sisters lose their wolves. When she had heard the news, she understood why Shadow had been so sad. She had lost a sister. Lady was the gentlest of their direwolf, she didn't deserve to die.

"How are they?" Antea asked in concern. Ned who still held Catelyn to his side took her daughter's hand "Both in mourning and angry" Antea nodded sadly, she didn't know what she would had done if someone had taken Shadow away from her.

"Cat, I don't understand" her father said "Why are you both here?"

"It's about Bran" Catelyn said but looking at the dread face of her husband she was quick to add "But not what you think"

Her father seemed confused "Then... Why are you here, my love?" Then his eyes travelled to Catelyn's hands "You've been hurt" he took her hands in his own full of worry "Gods they are deep" he looked quickly at Antea to see if she was hurt too, but she just shook her head "How did that happened?" 

Her mother took the dagger and started to explain what had happened the night of the attack. And his father seemed lost and angry. Catelyn then told him about how Bran's direwolf had saved her life and Cyel's and then who that dagger belonged to.

Her father slammed the dagger on the table "Why should Tyrion Lannister want Bran dead?" 

"You Stark have nothing but snow between your ears?" Littlefinger said making Antea took a long calming breath "The Imp would have never acted alone"

Her father was pacing the room in anxiety, he said that he was afraid that if the queen had something to do with this maybe even the king. Antea hoped not, the king was her father's best friend, could he really have done something like that? If he was friend with Jaime Lannister maybe he had wanted to help her wife's twin, but king Robert didn't seem so in love with his wife.

"It is most likely the King doesn't know" Littlefinger spoke again "It wouldn't be the first time" perfect, Antea thought "Accusing the king means treason and doing it without proves means death" the man added.

"Isn't the dagger a proof?" Antea asked crossing her arms.

"That?" Littlefinger said "Without doubt the Imp will say he lost it in Winterfell. No, Stark" he turned to Ned "My council is throwing it in the water and forget about it" Antea frowned. What kind of council was that? Wasn't giving good advises his job?

Her father looked at him coldly and angry "My son lays crippled in his bed; he could have died and my ward and my wife with him if it wasn't for his wolf pup. If you think I'll forget about this dagger you are a big fool now as when you took the sword against my brother" Antea couldn't stop of feeling proud of her father, she had never saw that side of him.

"You wound me deeply" Littlefinger said with fake hurt "I always found you Stark tiresome a lot" his eyes fell on Antea too for a quick moment "But Cat seemed to have become attached to you, even if I don't understand the reason. Then I'll try to keep you alive for Cat's sake" Antea looked at the man closely at those words. He better help my father, she thought. She couldn't bear the thought of her family in that place.

"Can we have a moment?" Her mother asked to the man who bowed his head.

"Very well, but be quick. The Hand has to return to the castle" but before he could exit the room Catelyn stopped him.

"I won't forget the help you gave me. When your men came for me, I didn't know whether trust you or not. But now I know I found more than a friend. I found a brother" 

"You are too sweet, my lady" Littlefinger said "But don't tell anyone. I have a reputation" 

"You have my thanks as well" her father said and little man grinned.

"That's a new" he said before exiting the room.

Ned turned to Antea and caressed her cheek affectionately.

"You've come with your mother" he said "I'm proud of you" Antea blushed with a smile.

"She is very brave, Ned" when her mother spoke those words Antea turned to her. Her mother was smiling at her and she found herself doing the same.

Ned then turned to Shadow and pet the fur of her head "And thank you too, for keeping my girls safe" Shadow's tail moved happily and she licked Ned's hand. Antea's parents smiled.

Antea looked at them, beautifully together. They truly loved each other. They were close to one another and they seemed so happy. Her mother hadn't been so happy in a long time, since the king and his family had come in Winterfell.

"It's time for me to go" she said suddenly.

Her parents looked at her like she was crazy "Where?" Her father asked. 

Antea laughed at their reaction "Back to the inn. You need to stay alone for a bit" 

"It's not safe, Antea" Catelyn argued worried.

"Shadow is with me" hearing her name the direwolf stood up "Nothing will happen".

Ned petted the wolf pup's head "These direwolves are truly a bless" Catelyn nodded her head and Ned smiled sadly at Shadow, maybe thinking about Lady and Nymeria.

"I don't want for you to come in the South anymore" Ned said as Antea moved closer to him "Not another of my children will be in danger" 

Antea felt relieved by those words, she hadn't had to leave Robb and the North anymore, but another part of her was concern of leaving her two sisters.

"I'll see you soon" Ned said before Antea threw her arms around her father's neck.

"I love you, father" he laughed lightly and kissed her temple.

Before exiting the room Antea looked at her parents hugging once again. They truly loved each other and she couldn't stop thinking at how lucky they had been to have found each other. 

Antea walked quickly out the brothel and she found herself in the street. The inn wasn't far from there and she remembered the way well. Antea had always had good memory and she had never got lost, not even when she was a child.

The sun was beginning to set and in King's Landing people were still working. The air was hot even now, too hot. Antea had to take off her cloak from her shoulder. Shadow had already hidden, but every once in a while, Antea could see her, like she wanted to let her know she was there. 

The river wasn't far from where she was and she got lost in the light given by the movements of the waves, when suddenly someone bumped into her, causing the cloak to slip from her hands. 

"I'm sorry" a tall boy of her age, with black hair and broad shoulders kneeled immediately to pick the cloak up. As soon as he looked up Antea saw his blue eyes and she frown in surprise. They seemed so familiar.

He looked shyly at her staring and quickly she talked "No, there's no need. Thank you" the boy nodded before walking pass her. Antea followed the boy since he disappeared into a blacksmith's emporium. That guy seemed strangely familiar, especially his eyes. But how could he? Antea shook her head, that boy was from the South, he surely had never been in the North.

When Antea turned, she met Shadow's golden eyes. Her pup was hidden under a merchant's table.

"Let's go, Shadow" she said "Let's go home" and she walked down the street through the inn.