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

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They were finally heading North. Antea couldn't wait to see the dark stones of Winterfell again, feeling the cold wind against her cheeks and the light mist all around her. Breathing the air of home. 

She could already picture Robb running at the gate. Antea would give him the biggest hug she had ever gave. He would for sure have Rickon and their direwolves on his heels and Antea would pick up her little brother and cover him of kisses, while their pups would play together at their feet. Certainly, there would be even Theon Greyjoy wearing his usual smile on his face, she would hug him too. Then she would run to Bran hoping to find him awake and smiling at her like always, Antea would not leave his chamber for days, she could already see it. And of course, with him she would find her best friend Cyel. She couldn't wait to arrive there and see them all, she missed even Maester Luwin and his lessons.

A drop fell on her cheek and Antea look up to the grey sky full of clouds "You should cover your heads, my ladies" Ser Rodrick said glaring at the rain. 

Antea cover her hair immediately with the hood of her dark cloak but her mother smiled "It's just water, Ser Rodrick" she replied gently.

The girl studied her mother's face, she was smiling relaxed. Antea didn't know she liked the rain, she had never let her or her brothers to play outside while it was raining, her Mather always said it was too cold. Antea always thought she didn't want for them to get dirty with mud, but looking at her face it was like she had wait a life time to ride in the rain. Of course, that water was very different from the one falling down from the skies of the North. That rain was gentle and Antea felt it barely on her face. She wondered what her mother was thinking about right now.

"I'm soaked through. Even my bones are wet" Ser Rodrick said and Antea smiled at him trying to dry his face with his wet gloved hand.

"Maybe we need a fire and a hot meal" Antea proposed, making her mother turn to her "I'm worried about our Ser Rodrick" her mother smiled playfully while they both looked at the man who gave out a light laugh.

"You got me there, my lady" he replied.

Lady Catelyn smile at her daughter "Well, in this case" she started "There is an inn at the crossroads up ahead".

Her mother must have known, those lands were her father's, lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun. Antea and Robb were born in Riverrun, during the Rebellion of Robert Baratheon. Antea and her brothers had been in her mother's former home few times, not many, but they have. She wondered if they would have stopped at the castle, but deep-down Antea hoped not, she wanted to go home.

"I don't know, my lady" Ser Rodrick said wistfully "Probably a small holdfast would be better, if we wish to remain unknown" could someone figure who we really are?

Well, not Antea for sure. But could they all really remember lady Catelyn Tully?

It had been years since she had been there and Antea was sure that not many high lords stopped by an inn, someone maybe, but not all of them could have ever seen her mother. As many northerner's lords had ever seen Antea.

"They will just see three mud-spattered travelers, wet and tired" her mother said with confidence "I think we shall be safe at the inn. No one will suspect that I am the daughter of their lord liege" her mother was right, they were cover in so much dirt that she couldn't recognize herself when she looked at her reflection in the water, riding for days do that to people. She loved riding so much.

It was dark when they reached the inn, it was at the crossroads, near the Trident. Antea looked at it while riding. It was a beautiful view, even now that it was raining. Three rivers that became one, they almost seemed a family.

"Antea" her mother said when they get down from theirs horses.

"Yes, mother?" Antea asked thanking with a smile Ser Rodrick who took the reins from her hand.

"It is better if Shadow stays outside tonight" Catelyn said almost sorry "I don't want to take the chance for someone to notice her. A direwolf is an unusual creature" Antea looked at her back and she saw golden eyes glowing in the darkness of the trees. She didn't want to leave Shadow out in the rain, but nobody would have mistaken her for a dog and peasants of the crossroads didn't have direwolves.

"Alright, mother" she said "Go ahead, I'll come in a minute" her mother looked at Shadow before turn to her daughter and with a small smile she nodded, before walking to the door of the inn. Antea turned and went closer to Shadow, that was already laying down, looking at her sadly.

"I'm sorry, girl" she said petting her head "But mother is right this time. I'll bring you food later" Shadow licked her hand, before Antea stood up.

When she entered the inn, her mother was talking to the owner, she was short and fat, her hair grey and she was chewing a sour leaf "Leave your boots down here" she was saying "The boy will clean them. I won't have mud on my stairs and mind the bell. Those who come late don't eat" Catelyn turned to Antea when she saw her approach and walked to her.

"We have the room up the stairs, Ser Rodrick has the one next to us" she said.

The room was little, but Antea didn't even pay attention to it, she was getting used of small spaces and a bed to share. She had even to admit that she liked sleeping with her mother, it made her feel a little child again.

"Are you tired?" Catelyn asked while Antea was changing her dress.

"A little, but I'm fine" she answered with a groan leaving her mouth since she was struggling closing her dress.

"Here, let me" Catelyn said walking towards her and helping Antea with the fastening of her dress. Once she had done Antea turned to her mother who was observing her. Antea looked at herself to check if everything was fine.

"I've just realized" Catelyn said "That this is Robb's favorite dress on you" Antea studied her dress, it was pale grey, with blue simple embroideries around the neck. She always rode with it; it was so comfortable.

When the bell rang and the two of them looked at the door in the same instant.

"It's time to dine" her mother said fixing her dry dress.

Antea nodded "Ser Rodrick will be glad" she said with a smile and she was happy when she heard her mother gave away a light laugh. 

It was unbelievable how much her mother felt better after seeing her husband. Antea felt relieved to know that her father and her sisters had come to King's Landing safely, not happy, but safely nonetheless. But seeing how her parents looked at each other after being away from one another for a month, surprised her strangely. Not because of their reaction, but because she thought for the first time that she wanted to be looked that way and she wanted to look someone with so much love in her eyes.

"You love Father" Antea realized she had talked out loud when her mother turned to her.

"You seem so surprised" the girls looked at the strange expression on her mother's face and immediately she spoke again "No, I mean… you didn't marry for love, but you fell in love nonetheless" she said a bit embarrassed "So is it possible even for us?" Antea was terrorized at the idea of leaving her home, but maybe with the right man, a brave man, who loved her, she would have been happy even away from Winterfell… maybe not too far away.

Her mother looked at her with kindness "Your father and I only want for you and your brothers to be happy" 

Antea interrupted her "So, we can marry for love" but the expression of her mother let her knew that she was wrong.

"You are a Stark" Catelyn said after taking a breath "It means that you can't marry just someone. Marriage is the strongest alliance, especially in times of war"

Antea's eyes widened "War?" why was she mentioning war? We are talking about marriage.

The girl observed her mother looking at the door, as if she wanted to be sure they were alone "I didn't want to tell you, to not worry you" Catelyn whispered "But talking with your father, we realized that there is the possibility of going war against crown"

"The crown?" Antea yell whispered "But Mother… why? I mean, I know what the Lannisters did, but why going war against the king?"

"Your father doesn't trust the king" her mother confessed "He need to find proves of the guilt of Jamie and Tyrion Lannister and be sure that the king is not involved" Antea soon felt scared for her father. He was alone against many; he couldn't trust anyone. She hoped that the king wasn't guilty and that would help her father, if he didn't…

"Mother" she said afraid of what her mother would answer "If we are going to war, what is going to happen to father and the girls?" they would be hostages or worst they could be killed. Antea had spent just few nights in the Capital, but nothing reassured her of that place: the royal family, the guards, the people, especially the plump and bold man who knew everything and the short one with the pointy beard. They had to find a way to get their family out of King's Landing. And if they were going to war and her father wasn't North, their bannermen needed a guide for sure. A guide whose name was Stark.

Robb has to go to war, Antea thought feeling the panic growing inside of her. War was a serious manner, people died in battle and they were just fifteen.

Her mother was about to answer when a knock come from the door.

"We'll talk about this later" Catelyn whispered quickly before turning to the door "Come in".

Ser Rodrick entered the room carefully; he was dry and he didn't seem cold. Antea wanted to smile to him, but she really couldn't. Too much thoughts in her head. 

She didn't want war; she was scared by it. People died in war and she didn't want for her family to go through something like that. How did that happen? Antea thought silently. The Starks had always been peaceful people, why the Lannisters were doing all of that? Why bring so much pain in their own country and in the North?

Why are you doing this?

"I think it's better pretend you are my father" Antea heard her mother say at some point "Alright, Antea?" she asked making the girl look up "Call Ser Rodrick grandfather, alright?" Antea nodded her head without a word.

They arrived in the main room of the inn, where men and women where already eating and drinking and talking to each other. Antea had always loved the time of the meals, especially dinner, because usually her father let dine with them even their people and Winterfell was full of voices and laughter. And they usually danced after eating. Antea always danced with Rickon, since her brothers Robb and Jon Snow never liked to dance but Antea, Sansa and Cyel loved that, so they always dance with each other. She wondered if Sansa had already found someone to dance to, apart from Jeyne Poole. She really hoped that Sansa would trust just her old friends and not the new girls she would meet. Arya, she was sure, wouldn't make friends with the girls that the queen made her meet. A part of her was sad that maybe Arya would feel lonely, but at least maybe it would be safer for her.

The inn was crowded with people, her mother had told her that their rooms were the only two left. On the wooden benches there were town people and farmers, but not just them. There were three men of the Brackens with the sigil of a stallion and not far from them a large party who wore the sigil of the twin towers of House Frey. Antea was skilled with the sigils and the names of the Houses all thanks to Sansa, they had studied together and after a while Antea was able to recognize more or less every House of the Seven Kingdoms. 

Antea looked at her mother observing the men, it seemed that she wasn't happy to see them, maybe because she was afraid that they may recognize her. 

Near the kitchen Ser Rodrick found a place to sit and when Antea moved to the bench a young man, more or less around Theon Greyjoy's age, set not far from them spoke.

"Maybe this beautiful girl wants to hear a song" Antea realized he was talking to her just when he smirked at her with shining eyes.

"Oh... umm" she mumbled unsure of what to say "Well… no, thank you" she finally managed with a small smile.

"My daughter is tired for the travel" her mother intervened linking her arm to Antea's "Maybe another time" they set and Antea smiled thankfully to her mother.

"Where do you come from?" the singer asked without stop smirking, Antea felt embarrassed under his eyes, but her mother seemed calm so she tried to relax.

"King's Landing" Catelyn answered politely.

"That's where I'm bound" he exclaimed happily. He didn't seem interested in their story, he seemed more concerned on telling his "The Hand's tourney brings rich lords with fat purses. I would have gone away with lots of silver if I hadn't lost it betting on the Kingslayer to win the day" Antea tried with all her forces not to let a smile come to her face, but the imagine of Jaime Lannister falling down his horse's back was priceless, she bet he had lost in that way and she really wished she had been there to see it happen.

"It was a nice view to see the rich man lose?" she asked with an amused tone.

"Not for my purse" he said "But for my eyes, it is second just to your beauty" Antea smiled embarrassed turning her head towards the window. When she saw how much it was raining, she thought of Shadow hiding out there, feeling sorry for her. After she had eaten, she would bring something to her.

"The gods frown on the gambler" Ser Rodrick said sternly. 

"They frown certainly on me" the lad said when a boy run to them with beer in his hand. Antea looked at the drink, she had never had beer, maybe sweet wine now that she was fifthteen, but she was a peasant now and she hoped that she had liked that thing "My name is Marillion" the lad spoke, but Antea hardly heard him, to focus on drink the beer and let them think it was good. She didn't like the flavor, too strong for her. How did her brothers and Theon manage to drink it?

"Maybe you heard my play somewhere"

"I'm afraid not" her mother spoke nicely "I'm sure you've visited almost all the Seven Kingdoms"

Marillion nodded drinking his beer "I sure have"

"I've heard lord Tully is fond of songs. No doubt you have been at Riverrun" Antea looked at her mother, she seemed so happy to be in those lands, her lands. Maybe she missed home, even if her family was in Winterfell, she dreamt of Riverrun some nights. 

Why only women had to move from their home? It wasn't fair.

"They keep a chamber for me" the singer said airily "I've been there hundreds of times" Antea frowned amused, that guy was strange but he was funny. 

"Have you ever travelled north?" Antea asked "At Winterfell?" she really wanted to hear something about her country, maybe if he had a song on it, she would have asked to hear it.

"Why would I?" she frowned at his words "It's all blizzards and bearskins up there, and the Starks know no music but the howling of wolves" that was a lie. They loved music, just not all kind of music and the howling made a beautiful song to hear. Why every man of the South thought that about the northerners? She was about to argue on that but the door opened with a bang.

"Innkeeper" a servant said "we have horses that want stabling, and my lord of Lannister requires a room and a hot bath" Antea's body paralyzed at the mention of that name. Ser Rodrick muttered something but her mother shushed him with her fingers tight around his forearm.

The innkeeper apologized for not having rooms, but the short lord step forward speaking boldly "My men will sleep in your stables, and as for myself, I don't require a large room as you can see" he was grinning, Antea would have done anything to take it away from his face, since he tried everything to kill her sweet brother.

Suddenly Tyrion Lannister pulled a coin from his purse and started to toss it and catch it in his hand. A man stood up and went to the lord "You're welcomed in my room, m'lord"

"Now that's a clever man" he exclaimed before giving the gold to the man and turning to the innkeeper "You will be able to manage food, I trust?" that woman had become suddenly so kind to her guests, because she run in the kitchen to prepare some food. 

Lord Tyrion wasn't alone, with him there were a servant, two guards and a man of the Night's Watch and a woman dressed in black. Antea's thoughts went immediately to Jon Snow, wondering how his new life was now that he was at the Wall. She hoped that Cassie was watching his back, like always.

The little man wasn't glancing too much to the people in the room and Antea noticed her mother relax on that, maybe he wouldn't notice them.

"My lord of Lannister!" Marillion exclaimed standing up and Antea was really tempted to kick him in the shins "I would be pleased to entertain you during your meal, maybe singing of your father's victory at King's Landing"

"Nothing would be more likely to ruin my supper" he said without sparing a glance on the lad, in fact his gaze fell on them. Her mother tried to looked away but Antea knew it was too late, so she just looked at him in silence. He looked at them surprised for a moment, but then the dwarf smiled "Lady Stark and the lovely lady Antea" he said "What an unexpected pleasure. I was sorry to miss the both of you at Winterfell" Did he even dare to enter their home? Antea couldn't stop looking at the man with hate, he seemed to notice because he looked at her puzzled. He was there and he saw them, what should they do now? 

Antea's mother rose slowly on her feet, with the grace of a queen, while everyone's shocked gazes were fixed on them, Antea didn't even paid attention, too focused on the little Lannister in front of her.

"Lady… Stark?" the innkeeper muttered thickly.

"I was still Catelyn Tully the last time I bedded here" she announced, then her gaze wondered in the room, as if she was searching for something. What did she want to do?

"You in the corner" Catelyn said "It's the black bat of Harrenal I see on your surcoat, ser?" Antea followed her mother's gaze to find an old man who got to his feet "It is, my lady"

"And his Lady Whent a true and honest friend to my father, Lord Hoster Tully?"

"She is" the man replied with honor. Antea frowned not understanding what her mother's intentions were. And judging by Tyrion Lannister's face, neither did he.

"My father counts Jonos Bracken among his oldest and most loyal friends" Catelyn said to another.

The three men looked at each other before one of them spoke "Our lord is honored by his trust"

"I envy your father all these friends" Lannister said worried "But I do not understand the meaning of this, Lady Stark" Antea wanted to understand too. Her mother was speaking to the bannermen as if she was declaring war and the more, she spoke the more she could feel those men taking their side.

"I know your sigil as well" Catelyn kept saying ignoring Lannister "The twin towers of Frey" even the men of Frey stood up, before her mother turned to Tyrion Lannister "This man came as guest into my house, and there he conspired to murder my son, a boy of seven" Antea stood up as well at those words, her eyes never leaving the Lannister, she understood what her mother was doing now. Ser Rodrick did the same with his sword in hand. Suddenly the door opened and Shadow walked in the room wet and growling. Her golden eyes fixed on the man who trembled when he saw her pacing around him. Antea looked proud at her pup and so did her mother "In the name of King Robert and the good lords you serve, I call you to seize him and help me return him to Winterfell to await the king's justice".

Every man in the room took his sword and pointed it at the man of Lannister unable to do anything. Antea let a grin form on her face looking at the man before her. Nothing would give her more satisfaction than proper justice being served.