almost heaven

The King’s arrival had turned Winterfell on its head.

Trumpets, banners, gold—so much gold. The North had not seen such splendour since the end of the Targaryen dynasty, when Robert Baratheon had taken the throne. Now, it seemed half the realm had come marching behind Robert's royal party.

Gold and crimson, black and stag-marked—southern colours that gleamed far too bright against Winterfell’s muted tones. The northerners looked on, some with curiosity, some with cautious, and a few openly awed as they watched the southern procession wind its way through the gates like a river of colour cutting through snow.

At the head of it rode your father—Robert Baratheon himself—larger than life and twice as loud, his booming laughter rolling over the crowd like thunder. His beard was flecked with frost, his furs heavy and rich, his crown sitting askew in a careless way that had once been considered charming but now looked more like neglect.

You had heard endless stories of his youth—the warrior who had swung a warhammer like the gods themselves had forged it for his hands, the rebel who had taken a throne with fire in his blood and vengeance in his heart. Robert the Usurper. Robert the Conqueror. 

But the man who rode before you now was not that legend. His armour strained against the swell of his belly, his face ruddy from drinking. The warhammer had long been replaced by a wine cup and a whore on his lap, the crown he wore weighed by the weight of old victories he refused to let die.

You wondered if even he remembered what it had felt like—to be the man the songs still sang of. Now, he was simply a king grown soft, chasing the ghost of glory through the bottom of his goblet and whoring his way through the street of silk.

As for you, you rode among them, sitting tall despite the cold that seeped through your furs and southern silks. Your father had insisted you come north, and you had insisted on riding atop a horse rather than shut yourself away in the carriage with your mother and younger siblings. It had seemed a small act of defiance then, a gesture of freedom. Now, with the wind biting at your cheeks and Joffrey’s endless complaints filling the air, it felt more like punishment.

He had sneered the entire way north—at the chill, the people, the very land itself. “The dreary, filthy North,” he had called it more than once, his tone dripping with disdain. You had ignored him as best you could, your gaze fixed on the horizon, excited to see a different land from the one you grew up in.

You’d always imagined the North as a wasteland of ice and furs, cold and colourless. But when you finally crossed through Winterfell’s borders, the image shattered.

The ancient stronghold rose before you, proud and formidable, its grey stone walls streaked with frost and history. Smoke curled from the forges, filling the air with the scent of metal and fire. There was movement everywhere—men with weathered faces and proud eyes, women calling out to one another across the yard, and children with flushed cheeks laughing as they chased hounds through the snow-dusted courtyard. It wasn’t lifeless at all. It was rough yes, but nothing like the southerners tried to depict.

You drew your crimson cloak tighter around your shoulders, breath ghosting in the frigid air. The cold bit through your clothes, sharp against your delicate skin, and for a moment you thought you might curse your own stubbornness for refusing the carriage. Yet as the wind swept past you again, crisp and fresh, you realized you didn’t hate it as much as you’d expected to.

It was different from the damp, perfumed warmth of King’s Landing. There, beneath the scent of roses and incense, there was always something else—an undercurrent of rot that no amount of perfume could mask. The palace gleamed with splendour, but beyond its stone halls the small folk suffered, and their misery lingered in the air like smog. Even in the height of summer, the city smelled of decay.

You shivered again from the cold. The North was harsh, yes—but there was purity in that harshness, a raw honesty that stripped everything down to what it truly was.

“Gods, it stinks,” Joffrey muttered beside you as the royal party began to dismount, his nose wrinkling as though the very air offended him.

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. The journey north had nearly rid you of patience for his endless vanity, but you found that ignoring him was the best way to deal with him.

Instead, your gaze drifted to the family lined before the steps of the keep—the Starks of Winterfell. They stood proud and poised, and in perfect unity they bowed towards your father not letting you get a proper look at their faces.

Your father went forward first. For a moment, an uneasy hush fell over the courtyard, as they watched what the King would say. You watched your father approach ordering Lord Stark to stand, but soon after it was all laughter and heavy slaps on the back as he embraced Lord Stark. Your mother followed, cold as a blade at Robert’s side. 

One by one, the rest of the Starks straightened, rising from their bows as your gaze swept over them. There were three younger children—two boys and a girl with untamed, curious eyes that seemed to hold more mischief than fear. The smallest of the boys stood by his mother, his expression bright with childlike wonder, while the other, taller but still retaining his boyish excitement stood by his sister.

Beside them stood an older girl, her light auburn hair gleaming softly. She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that was more seen in the south. Her hands were clasped neatly before her, and her smile, though polite, carried a faint nervousness as her gaze flickered toward your brother. You didn’t miss the faint blush that coloured her cheeks.

But it was the eldest son who drew your eyes and held them.

Robb Stark.

Named after your father’s namesake.

He stood beside Lord Stark with a quiet confidence that needed no boasting to be felt. His hair was dark auburn, catching faint hints of red beneath the pale northern sun, and his stance was strong—broad-shouldered, proud.

He was handsome, though not in the soft, polished way of the southern courtiers you’d grown accustomed to seeing. He was well groomed, yes, but the rugged strength beneath that composure could not be hidden. His build spoke of long hours in the yard rather than idle ones in a hall, his bearing of discipline rather than indulgence.

His eyes caught you most of all—grey as a storm over the sea, sharp and intelligent. There was a steadiness to them, a kind of calm that unnerved you, because it was clear they missed nothing.

And they certainly didn’t miss the smirk your brother sent his sister’s way. Robb’s expression didn’t so much as flicker in response, though the faint tightening of his jaw told you he had noticed, the way his sister blushed in response.

Before you could look away, those grey eyes found yours—and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to still. 

You had never been one of those girls who giggled over handsome lords or whispered about courtly love behind lace fans. You had seen enough of men like that—vain, shallow creatures who mistook charm for worth. But something about Robb Stark was different. 

Heat crept up your neck before you could stop it, your cheeks warming despite the chill in the air. You fought the sudden, ridiculous urge to look away bashfully, to hide the small, traitorous smile tugging at your lips.

It was absurd, really—you didn’t even know him. 

For a long, unbroken moment, you didn’t move. It was as though the cold had rooted you in place, your pulse thudding softly in your ears. Then, without warning, Joffrey bumped into you from behind with a muttered curse, snapping the spell cleanly.

You blinked, startled, stepping aside as your brother straightened his cloak with a scoff, clearly annoyed at you. But when you looked back, Robb was already glancing away, his expression unreadable.

The feast that night was as loud and unruly as any your father had ever hosted—though the North’s version of merriment came with more ale and less flattery. The great hall of Winterfell was alive with sound: the crackle of hearth fires, the thunder of mugs striking tables, the low rumble of laughter spilling between bites of roasted meat. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and spice and the faint chill that crept in from the open doors each time a servant hurried through.

You sat near the head of the table, your place beside your mother. You didn’t have to look at her to know her jaw was tight, her patience thinning with each booming laugh from your father as he entertained the woman on his lap.

Robert was in high spirits, which was to say, he was halfway to drunk before the first course had finished. His laughter echoed down the hall, drowning out conversation, spilling more wine than he drank as he talked with Ned.

You kept your gaze low, pretending not to notice the way your mother’s fingers curled around her goblet, white-knuckled.

It wasn’t until your father slammed his mug down on the table that the laughter faltered. The sound reverberated through the hall like a hammer on iron, silencing even the musicians.

“Come, Ned!” he bellowed, a drunken grin on his face, his words slurred with good cheer. “You’ve given me your friendship, your sword, your counsel—but not your blood.”

A murmur rippled through the hall. Lord Stark blinked, confusion flickering across his usually steady face. “Your Grace?”

Robert gestured grandly down the length of the table, his cup sloshing in one hand as he waved toward you. “Your boy, Robb—and my eldest daughter!” he declared, his voice booming with the certainty of a man who had never considered refusal. “A match that will bind the North and the West! A son of Winterfell, a daughter of the Crown—what say you, Ned?”

A ripple of uneasy laughter passed through the hall. Some courtiers echoed it too quickly, hoping to placate the King, while others bowed their heads, unwilling to draw notice beneath Robert Baratheon’s good humour.

You froze, your hand tightening around the stem of your goblet as your father’s words sank in. Heat crept up your neck, though the hall suddenly felt very cold. You fought to keep your expression composed, the careful mask of royal composure your mother had drilled into you since childhood. But it was impossible not to feel the weight of every gaze turning toward you and Robb.

Across the table, Robb Stark looked up sharply. His storm-grey eyes found yours through the candlelight, steady but startled. There was no arrogance in his stare, no mockery—only quiet disbelief that mirrored your own.

Even your mother stilled beside you. Cersei’s hand froze on her cup, her knuckles whitening as she turned her gaze toward your father, fury flickering behind the mask of a queen’s poise.

“She’s still young,” your mother said tightly, clearly also not having expected this.

You were a woman grown, long past your first blood. Old enough to bear children, old enough for marriage. In truth, it was a miracle you hadn’t been married off earlier.

Robert waved her off with a booming laugh, already reaching for his cup again. “Old enough for betrothal!” he said, dismissive and delighted all at once. “Robb Stark and my eldest girl—the wolf and the lioness! Gods, they’ll make fine cubs, eh?”

Your pulse thundered in your ears as you stared at the table before you, unable to look at anyone. It was not the proposal itself that shook you—marriage had always been an eventuality, a matter of alliance rather than affection—but the suddenness of it, the way your life had been offered up like cow at an auction.

The hall erupted again — laughter, murmurs, wide eyes. Lord Stark looked caught entirely off guard, his calm composure faltering for perhaps the first time that evening. Your mother’s jaw, meanwhile, was set in stone, her fingers tight around her cup as if she meant to crush it.

Your father, oblivious—or perhaps uncaring—of the discomfort around him, only roared with laughter and turned to the young man in question. “What say you, boy?” Robert grinned at Robb, raising his cup. “A fine match, eh?”

Across the table, Robb Stark straightened, caught between the weight of his father’s silence and the King’s drunken insistence. For a heartbeat, his eyes flicked toward Lord Stark, as though seeking guidance. But Ned Stark’s face, though grave, gave nothing away.

Robb’s jaw set. Slowly, he inclined his head toward the King, his tone careful and measured. “Your Grace honours me,” he said evenly, the calm in his voice belying the tension in his shoulders. “But—”

He didn’t get the chance to finish.

“But nothing!” Robert boomed, slamming his cup down hard enough to spill wine across the table. “The girl’s comely, and from good stock. I’ll hear no objections!”

You wanted the floor to swallow you whole. You managed to lift your goblet, forcing a polite smile that didn’t reach your eyes, though your stomach twisted with humiliation. This wasn’t how you imagined meeting your future husband—announced like an offering at a feast, your worth reduced to bloodlines and the King’s drunken cheer.

When Robert finally turned his attention elsewhere, clapping Lord Stark on the back with enough force to rattle the tableware, you dared to look up again.

Robb was watching you. His gaze thoughtful rather than cold. 

You wondered what he saw—a spoiled lion cub, soft from silk and wine? You wouldn’t have blamed him for thinking it. The Northerners were born of hard work and harder winters; you were born of gold and servants.  And yet, as his gaze lingered for a moment longer before turning away, you couldn’t help but hope that perhaps he saw something else too—something more than what your name and colours proclaimed.

As the feast wore on, the laughter grew louder as everyone grew drunker. You tried to endure it—to play your part, to smile when spoken to—but each passing moment made it harder to breathe.

Finally, when no one was looking, you rose from your seat and slipped away.

No one noticed. Your father was deep in his cups, his booming laughter echoing over the music, drowning out any thought of propriety. Your mother had vanished not long before—where, you neither knew nor cared. You only knew that you needed air.

The courtyard was quiet when you stepped into it, the torches guttering in the wind. Winterfell was different at night—vast and solemn. The cold crept beneath your cloak, but it was a welcome feeling compared to the suffocating heat of the feast hall. You drew the fabric tighter around your shoulders and breathed deeply, letting the icy air fill your lungs. For the first time all evening, you felt the weight in your chest begin to ease.

Your boots crunched softly against the packed snow as you wandered without aim, tracing the paths between torchlit walls. Somewhere overhead, a raven cawed, its cry carrying across the night before fading into the wind. You might have turned back then—returned to the warmth and noise, to the safety of your place beside your mother—had it not been for the sound that broke the stillness.

Steel striking wood.

You paused, listening. The sound came again—steady and rhythmic. Curiosity stirred, and you found yourself following it through the shadowed corridors and out into one of the training yards, half-shrouded in darkness.

There, beneath the pale light of the moon, was a young man. He moved with focus, each swing of his wooden practice sword fluid and measured, the sort of precision that spoke of years of learned discipline. He was focused, wholly absorbed in his task, his strikes landed with a steady rhythm against the straw dummy. He was breathing heavy, every breath came in soft, visible clouds, rising and vanishing into the cold air. Despite the chill, he wore only a simple tunic, the thin fabric clinging faintly to his skin with the sheen of exertion.

The soft sound of your steps must have given you away. He turned sharply, the sword rising instinctively in his hand, and you startled, taking an instinctive step back.

“Apologies,” you blurted, raising your hands slightly. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I was only taking a breath from the feast and seem to have lost my way.”

He blinked in surprise, eyes widening as recognition dawned. Even in the low light, you could see the resemblance to Robb Stark—the same sharp lines of the jaw, the same quiet intensity—but his hair was darker, brown like Lord Stark’s, and there was a softness to his gaze that Robb did not possess.

“No, it is I who should apologize, Your Grace,” he said quickly, lowering the sword. “I didn’t expect anyone to be out here.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” you replied, your tone gentle as you stepped closer. “I didn’t expect to find anyone either. I thought I was the only one hiding from the noise.” You hesitated, studying him for a moment. “In fact, I don’t recall seeing you there. I thought all of Lord Stark’s children were present.”

Something flickered across his face at that—an emotion you couldn’t quite place. His jaw tightened slightly, and his eyes dropped to the ground. “I… am not officially considered as such,” he said quietly. “Jon Snow is my name.”

Realization struck, sharp and unbidden. “You’re his bastard,” you said before you could stop yourself. The words slipped free like a breath, unthinking—and the moment they did, you saw the subtle hardening in his eyes, the stiffness in his shoulders.

“Apologies,” you said quickly, your voice softening. “I meant no offence.”

He exhaled through his nose, the tension in his shoulders easing only slightly. “No need, my lady. I’ve heard worse.”

Something in his tone—half resignation, half acceptance—made your chest tighten. 

“Still, it was rude of me to say it as such. It is not a child’s fault for the sins of their father,” you murmured, your voice soft against the quiet of the yard.

He blinked, as though the thought itself surprised him. The training sword in his hand lowered slightly, his fingers flexing around the hilt.

“Most highborn don’t bother to make excuses for bastards,” Jon said at last, the corner of his mouth twisting—not quite a smile, not quite a sneer. “They just pretend we don’t exist.”

You tilted your head, studying him in the dim light. “Pretending seems to be a southern pastime,” you said dryly. “One I’ve never been very good at.”

That earned you a flicker of amusement—brief, but genuine. The tension in his shoulders eased, his guardedness softening into something closer to curiosity.

“Why are you out here?” he asked after a moment, breaking the silence. “You should be inside—warm, with the rest of them.”

“Yes, I should,” you agreed bitterly, your breath ghosting in the cold. “I should be with everyone, watching my father drink himself into a stupor and insult my mother and his marriage every chance he gets.” You exhaled, a short, humourless laugh escaping you. “Or perhaps I should’ve stayed so I could be congratulated on my upcoming betrothal to your brother.”

Jon’s eyes widened in surprise. “Robb?”

You nodded once, your mouth twisting faintly. “Yes. The King saw it quite fit to announce the offer among everyone in attendance.”

Jon hesitated, his expression unreadable. “You don’t sound very happy about it,” he said finally.

You gave a quiet, mirthless laugh. “Would you be?”

When he didn’t reply, your shoulders lifted in a small shrug as you looked away. “I mean no insult to your brother for my bitterness, but when you’re offered like a broodmare, with no inclination or choice in the matter, I think anyone would find it hard to be happy.” The words left your lips without hesitation. “Sometimes I wish I was a bastard. At least then my father would have ignored me, the way he’s ignored the hundreds of other children he’s sired.”

You hesitated, your voice softening, though the bitterness beneath it remained. “You’re lucky Lord Stark is your father, Jon Snow. At least he seems to care for his children. My father only sees us as bargaining chips—useful when needed, forgotten when not.”

Jon’s grip tightened around the hilt of his training sword until the leather creaked. For a heartbeat, he seemed unsure of what to do with his hands. Then he set the blade aside, the tip sinking soundlessly into the snow.

“That’s… a harsh thing to wish for,” he said quietly. There was no judgment in his tone—only pity and sadness. 

You let out a dry, humourless laugh, your breath curling white in the cold. “Harsh, perhaps. But honest.”

Your gaze lifted toward the sky. The stars here seemed closer, brighter—so unlike the smog-veiled heavens of King’s Landing. “I used to think being royal meant freedom,” you murmured. “That power could buy choices. But I grew old enough to realize it only meant I was shackled to duty and expectation higher than most. And for a highborn lady, that will always mean being owned.”

Jon studied you for a moment, the way your voice softened around the edges of those words, as though you’d long since grown tired of speaking them aloud.

“I’ve often thought about what it might mean to be born properly a Stark,” he admitted quietly. “What it would be like to be seen. Properly. To belong somewhere.” His lips curved into a faint, self-mocking smile. “You want to be invisible, and I’d give anything not to be.”

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The cold bit at your cheeks, but neither of you seemed to mind it. The silence was strangely comfortable—a bubble of calm in a world that demanded too much of both of you.

At last, you broke it. “It’s strange, isn’t it?” you said softly. “How both of us want what the other has. You’d give anything to be acknowledged, and I’d give anything to be forgotten.”

Jon’s lips curved faintly, but there was little amusement in it. “Seems the gods have a sense of humour,” he murmured.

“Or cruelty,” you countered, your gaze turning skyward again. “They give us everything we never asked for and keep what we want just out of reach.”

Jon followed your gaze, his expression thoughtful. “Perhaps they think it makes us stronger."

You huffed a quiet laugh, the sound soft in the cold air. “Then the gods have made philosophers of us both.”

Your laughter seemed to ease something in him. The stiffness in his shoulders melted away, and for the first time, the heaviness in his eyes lifted. When he looked at you again, there was no trace of wariness, only quiet understanding.

“You don’t talk like the other highborn ladies I’ve met,” he said finally.

You smiled faintly. “That’s because most of them are taught to be silent. They’re there to be admired, not heard.”

He tilted his head, considering you. “And you?”

“Oh, they tried to teach me the same,” you said, a touch of dry humour in your voice. “But I’m a shit listener.”

Jon blinked, startled at the sound of you cursing—and then, to your surprise, he barked out a laugh. A real laugh. You found yourself laughing along with him. 

When his laughter finally faded, he studied you again—longer this time, as though seeing something he hadn’t before. “You know,” he said quietly, “I think Robb might like you.”

Your smile faltered at that, the words cutting through the brief ease between you. The reminder of your betrothal fell heavy in the still air.

Jon seemed to realize it, because his tone softened. “Robb will be good to you,” he said gently. “He won’t see you as a thing to be bartered.”

You looked away, the flickering torchlight catching in your eyes. “Maybe not,” you murmured. “But that doesn’t change what I am. I’m a commodity—something to be given to strengthen the ties between the crown and the North.”

The words hung in the cold air like mist. You exhaled slowly, something between a sigh and a laugh escaping you. “You know,” you said, voice quieter now, “I don’t even know if I’ll be good for him. He looks to be a steady man, one born of duty and hard work. I am a daughter of duty, too, but of a different kind. We both know my southern softness would have no place among the strength you Northerners carry.”

Jon’s brows knit slightly as he studied you. For a moment, he seemed to weigh your words, the silence stretching between you before he finally spoke. “You sell yourself short, my lady. The North doesn’t measure strength by calloused hands or sword arms. We measure it by what a person endures.”

You blinked, surprised by the quiet conviction in his tone. The night air curled white from his breath, and for the first time you noticed how young he really was—a couple years younger than you, but already worn by truths older than his years.

“From what I can see,” he said, his gaze steady on yours, “you’d survive Winterfell just fine.”

The sincerity in his tone caught you off guard. For a moment, you couldn’t quite find your voice. You had expected pity, perhaps—politeness, or some attempt to comfort a princess who had never known real hardship. But there was none of that in his eyes. Only truth. Quiet, unwavering truth.

Something in your chest tightened, a strange ache blooming where defensiveness had lived for so long. You found yourself smiling faintly, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. “You say that now,” you murmured. “You haven’t seen me try to walk on ice.”

Jon’s lips twitched, the ghost of amusement playing there. “The North has a way of humbling everyone. You’d learn.”

That made you laugh—soft and breathy in the chill, the sound a wisp of warmth in the frozen air. “Still,” you said after a moment, “your brother deserves a wife who belongs here. One who doesn’t flinch when the wind bites or stumble over snow. I’m afraid I’ll be more trouble than treasure.”

Jon studied you, the faintest edge of warmth in his eyes. “You might be surprised what the North considers treasure.”

When you finally spoke again, your voice was quieter, more certain. “You’re far too kind, Jon Snow.”

He gave a faint shrug, the corner of his mouth curving just slightly. “Only honest.”

You smiled then—truly smiled—and this time it reached your eyes. The tension you hadn’t realized you’d been carrying began to ease. “Then perhaps that’s why the gods sent me outside tonight,” you murmured. “To find a bit of honesty.”

Jon opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, a familiar voice broke through the night.

“Jon.”

Both of you turned. Robb stood a few paces away, his cloak clasped at the throat, the faint firelight spilling from the hall behind him. It caught the edge of his hair, gilding it copper in the dark, and cast a soft glow over the snow-dusted stones at his feet. His gaze shifted between you and Jon, pausing on you for a heartbeat longer than propriety allowed.

“Princess,” he said at last, his voice steady but gentler than before. “The King will start a hunt if he finds his daughter missing.”

You straightened, the quiet spell of the courtyard breaking as reality swept back in. “I didn’t mean to worry anyone,” you said softly. “I only needed air.”

Turning to Jon, you dipped your head politely. “It was nice to meet you, Jon.”

He inclined his head in return, that faint half-smile still ghosting his lips. “You as well, Princess.”

With a final, lingering smile, you turned and began the slow walk back toward the hall. “My lord,” you murmured in passing, offering Robb a polite nod as you brushed past him.

Robb hesitated, his mouth parting as if to speak, perhaps to offer his arm or escort you inside. But you were already moving, your crimson cloak trailing behind you like a flicker of fire in the cold.

He watched you go until you disappeared around the corner, the sound of your footsteps fading into the night. Only then did he turn his gaze back to his half brother.

Robb stepped closer, folding his arms across his chest, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at his mouth. “You seem to have made quite the impression.”

Jon snorted, bending to retrieve his training sword from where it rested in the snow. “She made one on me first.”

Robb’s brow arched, his tone teasing but edged with curiosity. “Oh? And what’s your judgment then? She seems as prideful as the rest of the lions. You should’ve seen her when the king announced the offer of her hand—it was as if she’d just tasted bad wine.”

Jon shook his head, straightening. “She’s… not like that,” he said quietly, his voice carrying an unexpected defensiveness. “She’s kind, Robb.”

Robb’s smirk faltered in surprise.

Jon went on, his tone steady but earnest. “She knew nothing of the king’s plans. She was caught unawares—same as you. And still, she spoke kindly of you.” He hesitated, then added, “You know what she said? That you deserve better than her. That you should have a northern wife.”

Robb blinked, caught off guard. “She said that?” He frowned slightly, his tone softening as he considered it. “That’s… not what I expected,” he admitted after a moment, the sharp edge of his usual composure dulling. “Most highborn would rather choke than admit weakness.”

Jon huffed a quiet laugh, the sound low and almost bitter. “She hides it well enough,” he said. “But it’s there. She’s not proud, Robb—she’s trapped. There’s a difference.”

Robb’s frown deepened, though not from doubt. The words settled somewhere deep, unwelcome in how true they felt. “And she told you all this?” he asked finally.

“Not all,” Jon replied, leaning lightly on the training sword. His voice was steady, deliberate. “But enough to see she’s not like the others in her family. She’s weary of being used as a piece in her father’s game, and yet—she still spoke well of you. I think she would be a good match for you. Maybe better than you think.”

Robb’s head turned sharply at that, his brows lifting in disbelief. “Good for me?” he echoed, half a scoff, half a laugh that didn’t quite land. “Jon, she’s the King’s daughter. A lion in silk. I doubt she’s ever known a day’s true labour in her life. The North would swallow her whole.”

Jon’s lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile, but his eyes stayed steady. “Maybe,” he allowed. “Or maybe she’d learn to thrive in it.”

Robb exhaled through his nose, running a gloved hand through his hair. The movement was restless, betraying more unease than he intended. “You’ve spoken to her once, Jon.”

“Aye,” Jon agreed, his tone even. “Once. And in that one talk, she showed more heart than half the court’s done in a lifetime. She looked at me—me, a bastard—and saw a person. You think someone with kindness like that wouldn’t make a good lady for Winterfell?”

Robb looked away, jaw tightening as he tried to process that. “I don’t even know what to say to her,” Robb admitted finally, his voice softer, almost reluctant.

Jon smirked faintly, leaning back on his sword. “Try starting with something that isn’t about her family’s reputation.”

That earned a quiet, reluctant laugh from Robb—low, almost self-deprecating. “Seven hells, you make it sound simple.”

“It is,” Jon said, his tone calm, almost knowing. “You’re just too proud to see it. Stop judging her by her name, and you might realize it too.”

Robb didn’t answer, but his silence said enough. His gaze lingered on the snow where your footprints still marked the ground, the faint imprints already fading beneath the falling flakes. 

By the next morning, Winterfell was alive with whispers.

Every corridor hummed with speculation, every corner seemed to hold a conversation half-hushed when you entered. Apparently, in you and Robb’s absence, another offer had been made—one that set the Great Hall aflame with rumour. A match between Sansa Stark and Prince Joffrey.

Now, the question that hung over every mouth and meal was simple: who would it be?

Would the King and Lord Stark bind their houses through you and Robb—the eldest daughter and the eldest son—or through their younger, more fitting pair?

No one knew which way the coin would fall.

As you made your way to the morning meal, the murmur of voices followed you like a shadow.

“A Lannister queen in the North?” one servant whispered, their words sharp in the cold air. “The wolves won’t stomach it.”

“Better the Sansa with the prince,” another replied. “Leave the lioness where she belongs.”

You kept your chin high, every inch the King’s daughter despite the sting of their words. The hem of your crimson cloak trailed behind you, its rich colour out of place among the muted greys and browns of Winterfell.

You had grown used to whispers in King’s Landing—court gossip was as common as breath but for some reason hearing the negative gossip about you here couldn’t help but sting. Still, you did what you always did, you kept your chin high and your steps even, even as the truth settled deep inside you. You were unwanted amongst the northerners.

At breakfast, your mother barely looked at you. The flicker of candlelight caught the hard gleam in her eyes. Her hands were perfectly still on the table, though you could see the faint strain in her knuckles—the only sign of the storm simmering beneath the surface.

It was clear both choices displeased her. Yet you couldn’t tell which she detested more: the idea of her daughter bound to the North, far from her control, or her son tied to a wolf’s daughter and forced to share his throne with the Starks.

Across the table, Jaime lounged with his usual easy poise, though his golden eyes flicked toward you, taking in the deep circles around your eyes. “You look as though you haven’t slept,” he murmured.

You forced a small smile, fingers curling around your cup. “Perhaps. I still haven’t gotten used to the northern chill,” You lied.

“Well,” Jaime drawled, tilting his head, “you’ll have to get used to it soon—if you are to become the new Lady Stark.”

His tone was light, teasing, but you could only muster a forced smile finding no amusement in the situation.

“Don’t tease her, Jaime,” came Tyrion’s voice from further down the table. He was already swirling wine in his cup, despite the early hour, his tone dry as ever. “I imagine it’s difficult to rest when your hand may be sold without so much as a whisper of choice in the matter.”

He lifted his eyes to you then, and for a fleeting moment, his usual mockery softened into something resembling sympathy. “My condolences, niece. The North is cold, but at least the Starks have honour—a rare currency in this family.”

Cersei’s head turned sharply, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. “Enough, Tyrion.”

Tyrion only raised his cup in mock salute, a faint smile curling his mouth. “Merely admiring our king’s fine sense of timing. Nothing warms the heart like watching a daughter offered off between wine and roast boar.”

Your mother’s glare could have frozen the sea, but Tyrion only smiled into his drink.

Marcella, ever the softest of your siblings, shot him a reproachful look. “Sansa seems sweet,” she spoke up softly, almost to herself. “I think she’d make a good queen.”

Joffrey scoffed, rolling his eyes. “She’s a northern savage,” he declared. “If it were up to me, I’d choose a proper southern lady—someone who knows how to behave at court. Still,” he added, smirking, “she is beautiful. A fine thing for our future heirs.”

A quiet scoff escaped you before you could stop it—sharp, disdainful. It cut through the your brother’s laughter like a blade.

Joffrey’s head snapped toward you, his expression hardening, but before he could speak, your mother’s voice filled the silence.

Cersei’s gaze flicked between her children, then landed on you, her voice deceptively soft. “It doesn’t matter what any of you think. The King will make his decision, and we will abide by it.”

Her eyes lingered on you just long enough for the meaning to sink in: you will abide by it.

You inclined your head slightly, every inch the dutiful daughter she demanded you be. But as you lifted your cup, the faint tremor in your hand betrayed the truth.

At that moment, the heavy doors opened, and Robert entered the hall. His steps were uneven, his crown was once again askew, and his cheeks were flushed still bleary from the night of wine and laughter. The sight of him was enough to sour the air.

Cersei’s mouth tightened, the barest flicker of disgust ghosting across her face before she rose in one graceful, practiced motion. “I will take my meal elsewhere,” she said, her voice like ice.

Without another glance, she swept from the room, her gown trailing behind her like a crimson wound, the sound of her heels echoing sharply against the stone until it faded into silence.

You didn’t blame her for her fury—how could you? Your father had humiliated her before half the realm for years, and now he was doing the same with you. But you couldn’t share her anger either.

You’d seen enough of King’s Landing to know that power was never clean, and marriage least of all. Every alliance was a transaction to gain more power. And yet… something about the North unsettled that certainty. There was no pretension here, no gleaming façade to hide behind. The people spoke plainly, worked until their hands were raw, lived and died by loyalty.

It was harsh—but it was honest.

And though you hated the lack of choice forced upon you, though you despised being bartered like coin, there was a small, treacherous part of you that wished your father would choose the match with Robb Stark.

When you slipped away later, wandering through the Godswood, the cold seemed to clear your thoughts. The stillness of the place—the way the wind whispered through the Weirwood branches, the sound of water lapping against ice—was almost kind.

You didn’t realize you weren’t alone until you heard the sharp snap of a branch. Your breath caught, a gasp escaping you as you turned, cloak swirling around your legs.

“Lady Y/N,” Robb greeted, stepping into view, his breath visible in the cold air. A small grey pup padded beside him, tail wagging hesitantly, its eyes bright with curiosity.

“Forgive me,” Robb said, pausing a few paces away. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

You exhaled slowly, the rush of surprise fading. “You didn’t,” you lied softly, though your heart was still racing.

You gave him a small polite smile, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. The pup gave a soft whine and trotted toward you and you knelt to meet the little creature. “And who might this be?”

“Greywind,” Robb replied, a trace of pride threading through his voice. “A Direwolf pup—from the litter my siblings and I saved.”

You reached out your hand, letting the pup sniff your fingers before you gently scratched behind his ear. “Greywind,” you repeated fondly, your tone softening. “A noble name for such a handsome little one.”

The pup leaned into your touch, tail swishing through the snow, his small whines muffled by your gloved fingers. Robb watched in silence, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

He hadn’t expected you to kneel in the snow without hesitation—your silks brushing against frost as though you didn’t care, your expression alight with genuine fondness. Greywind sniffed your hand again, ears perked, tail twitching in excitement before pressing his small head into your palm.

A quiet laugh escaped you then—soft, airy, real. The sound startled Robb more than he cared to admit.

“He’s beautiful,” you murmured, stroking the pup’s fur as he licked at your fingers. “So gentle. I thought Direwolves were meant to be fearsome.”

“They will be,” Robb said, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a faint smile. “He’s only a few moons old. But he’ll grow fast. Father says the bond between a Stark and his wolf runs deep—that they’re born to protect us.”

You looked up at him from where you knelt, your breath clouding in the cold air. The light caught in your eyes then, and something about the way you gazed at him—curious, open, wholly unafraid—made his words falter for just a moment. “That sounds like a rare gift,” you said softly. “The gods don’t give such bonds freely.”

The words lingered between you, carried by the quiet hush of the Godswood. Robb found himself wanting to say something—anything—to keep you speaking, to keep that faint warmth in your voice filling the cold space between you.

“My father says they were born for us,” he said at last, nodding toward Greywind. “To remind the Starks of who we are.”

“And who is that?” you asked, tilting your head slightly, genuine curiosity in your tone.

Robb hesitated, his breath misting in the air. “Honourable,” he said finally. “Loyal. Perhaps too much so.”

You smiled faintly, the expression small but sincere. “Those sound like virtues, my lord.”

“They can be the kind that get men killed,” he replied simply.

Your expression softened, your gaze thoughtful as it lingered on him.  “Then I suppose they’re also the kind that make sure your names are passed down through the history books,” you murmured.

He blinked, caught off guard by the quiet conviction in your voice. For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was something gentler, fragile and new. Robb was still watching you when you finally rose, brushing the frost from your skirts. Greywind gave a soft whine in protest as your hand left his fur, his small tail sweeping the snow.

“Well, Greywind,” you said, your tone light and warm as your gaze flicked between wolf and man. “It was lovely to meet you both.”

You turned to go, the snow crunching softly beneath your boots. Robb’s eyes followed the sweep of your cloak, deep crimson against the white—like fire cutting through frost. Something in him stirred before he could stop it.

“You don’t need to leave,” he said, his voice careful as if not to startle you away. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I often come to the Godswood to think.” He paused, his mouth twitching faintly. “I didn’t expect that you—or your family—might visit this place.”

You gave a soft huff of laughter, your breath curling white in the cold air. “I doubt my mother would step foot in this place unless the gods themselves demanded it.”

Robb’s lips twitched, amusement flickering there for a moment. “Aye,” he said. “I imagine the Old Gods wouldn’t care much for southern prayers.”

You glanced over your shoulder, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at your lips. “Or southern pride,” you added, voice light but tinged with truth.

Robb’s mouth curved faintly, but his eyes didn’t waver from you. “There’s much being said about us,” he finally brought up after a pause. “More than either of us asked for.”

“I noticed,” you murmured, your gaze lowering to the snow-dusted ground. “Apparently I’m the North’s next great insult—or its salvation, depending on who’s gossiping.”

He hesitated, as though weighing whether to press further. “And what do you think?” he asked finally, his voice quieter now.

You lifted your head, meeting his eyes. “It’s no matter what I think,” you said evenly. “If my father and yours decide on our betrothal, then I will do my duty.”

He studied you for a moment, his expression unreadable, before nodding once—slowly, as if he understood more than he cared to admit. “My father would say duty is the only thing that keeps us honourable.”

You straightened. “And my mother would say it’s the only thing that keeps us useful,” you replied, your tone steady but tinged with quiet bitterness. “Either way, there’s little choice in what we would want.”

Robb tilted his head slightly, eyes searching yours. “And what is it you want, Princess?”

The question caught you off guard. Such a simple thing—and yet, no one had ever asked it before. Not your father, who spoke of alliances and bloodlines as though you were part of his crown’s ledger. Not your mother, who viewed choice as an illusion beneath the weight of duty. Never anyone who cared for you beyond what you represented.

Your breath misted in the cold as you turned your gaze toward the heart tree, its red leaves whispering softly in the wind. “I’m not sure I’d know how to answer that,” you admitted after a moment. “I’ve spent my life doing what’s expected of me. Perhaps what I want…”—you hesitated, voice softening—“…is a chance to know what freedom might be like. To make a choice for myself—not because it’s required, but because it’s mine.”

Robb was quiet for a long moment. Then, softly, he said, “You’d fit the North better than you think.”

You glanced back at him, one brow arching, uncertain if he was teasing. “Would I?”

“Aye,” he said, and there was no jest in it. “You value freedom, and you speak plainly. You’d find honesty here, even if it’s cold and rough-edged. And I think you’d hold your own against it.”

Something unguarded flickered in your eyes as you looked at him. You hadn’t expected kindness from him—not the sort that saw beyond your name. “You and your family are kinder than I expected, Lord Stark.”

A small smile touched his lips. “And you,” he said quietly, “are not what I expected at all, Princess.”

You looked back toward the pool of still water, its glassy surface reflecting the red of the Weirwood leaves. Your voice was soft when you finally spoke. “Do you think your father will agree to it?”

Robb was quiet for a long moment, the weight of your question settling in the still air between you. His gaze drifted toward the heart tree, its carved face solemn and knowing. “I think he’ll do what he believes is right for the realm,” he said at last. “As will the King. The rest of us will learn to live with their choices.”

You met his eyes again, and for a fleeting heartbeat, the rest of the world seemed to fall away—the crown, the politics, the heavy chains of your parents’ expectations. In that stillness, you could almost imagine another life. One where you weren’t a Baratheon princess bartered like gold, but a woman who chose her own path. A woman who could stay here, in this quiet northern stronghold, where the air was pure and the people were honest. 

You could almost see it—a future with Robb Stark. You’d be lucky, you thought, to be his wife. He wasn’t much older than you, and unlike the courtiers you’d grown up around, there was nothing false in him. He was kind, and honest, and strong in the quiet way that made others listen. If the betrothal fell through, you knew your next match would likely be some aging lord looking to get his hands on a young Highborn wife, grasping for status through your name.

“I should return before someone notices I’ve vanished,” you said at last, drawing your cloak around your shoulders. “If my mother realizes I’ve been out here, she’ll lecture me about the impropriety of frolicking out in the wild.”

Robb’s expression softened. “I won’t keep you, then.” He hesitated, his voice lowering. “But you’re welcome here, whenever you need quiet. The Godswood belongs to no one.”

You paused at that, turning back to him. The smallest smile curved your lips, faint but genuine. “Thank you, Lord Stark.”

“Robb,” he corrected. “I’m not Lord Stark yet—and I think we’re past the point of formalities.”

You held his gaze for a moment, something unspoken passing between you, before nodding. “I’ll see you later, Robb.”

It was the first time you’d said his name without title. The sound of it on your sweet lips, felt like a spark in his heart, a warmth that lingered long after you turned and walked away.

Days passed, and with each one, Robb found it harder to ignore what Jon had said that night in the training yard.

You weren’t like the rest of your family. There was no sharp vanity in your tone, no hunger for control in your gaze. You carried yourself with quiet poise, yes—but it wasn’t born from arrogance. It was the kind taught through years of lesson. The kind a person learned when they’d been watched all their life, weighed and measured against what they could offer.

He saw it in the way you walked through Winterfell’s courtyards, shoulders straight but eyes watchful, politely enduring the stares and whispers that trailed after you. He saw it when you stopped to help and speak with the servants, asking—not out of idle curiosity, but genuine interest—about life in the North, about the work and the weather and the long winters to come. And when you bent to greet a stablehand’s hound, unbothered by the mud on its fur, Robb found himself watching longer than he should have.

There was kindness in you—a gentleness he hadn’t expected from a lioness raised among vipers. But there was something else, too. A restlessness. A spirit that longed to stretch its wings, to break free of gilded walls and southern expectations you’d grown up with. You looked at the North not with disdain, but with wonder. This was a world you had been raised to look down upon, yet you seemed intent on understanding it.

The decision of your marriage still lingered in the air like the heavy promise of a storm. The King and his father had yet to speak it aloud, though everyone knew it was coming. 

Sansa, for her part, had taken to her chambers most evenings, whispering fervently to her mother about her destiny to be beside Prince Joffrey. Robb had passed their door more than once, catching the sound of her pleading voice—soft, desperate—begging Catelyn to convince their father to agree to the match.

Robb tried not to listen. Tried harder not to imagine the kind of life his sister would have beneath that boy’s thumb. He’d seen Joffrey’s nature, clearer than most. Beneath the polished manners and perfect smile lay something rotten. He was spoiled, vain, cruel in ways that made Robb’s skin crawl. He treated the servants as though they were less than human, mocking them when they stumbled, taking pleasure in their punishments when he thought no one else was watching.

The thought of Sansa bound to him—chained to that kind of arrogance and cruelty—made Robb’s stomach twist. No. He would rather sacrifice his own happiness, his own future, than see her endure that fate.

And though he would never say it aloud, the more he thought of it, the clearer it became: if someone had to be bound to the lions, he would rather it be him than his sister.

The truth was… the more time he spent near you, the less that sacrifice felt like one.

He had begun to seek your company without meaning to. Somehow, you always seemed to find your way to the Godswood or the courtyard, and more often than not, Greywind was padding loyally at your side. You had taken to feeding the wolf treats when you thought no one was watching—though Robb had noticed, more than once.

He pretended not to notice the first few times, content just to watch from a distance. You would look around before crouching down in the snow, your crimson silks brushed pale white at the hems, your voice gentle and cooing as you murmured to the growing pup as if he were a child. Greywind, though already larger than most hounds, behaved with startling gentleness around you—ears low, tail wagging, his enormous head nudging against your arm in quiet affection.

You smuggled bits of bread or dried meat from the kitchens, unbothered by the dirt or the snow that clung to your gloves. Each time, Greywind would take the food delicately from your palm, his golden eyes softening before he devoured it, tail thumping against the frozen ground.

Robb decided to approach you finally and the way you startled at being seen nearly made him laugh.

“Does my lord intend to scold me?” you’d asked, voice carefully measured, though your cheeks were pink with embarrassment.

He’d shaken his head, a small smile curving his lips. “Hardly. Greywind seems to like you more than he does most of my kin. I’d be a fool to interfere.”

You’d relaxed then, your shoulders easing as you looked down at the wolf nuzzling your hand, his great head pressing insistently into your palm.

Robb leaned back against the cold stone of the courtyard wall, arms loosely crossed, watching you toss a small scrap of meat into the air for Greywind to catch. The wolf snapped it up easily, rumbling in satisfaction. Robb wasn’t entirely sure when it had begun—these moments, these quiet meetings—but he realized he had come to anticipate them.

He told himself it was curiosity. That he only wished to understand the woman who might one day be his wife. But the truth was simpler—and far more dangerous.

You had begun to occupy the corners of his mind in ways he couldn’t quite name.

You laughed softly as Greywind pawed at your cloak, demanding another treat, and Robb found himself smiling despite the strange tightness that bloomed in his chest. You weren’t the woman he’d imagined when the King had first spoken your name that night at the feast. There was no hauteur in you, no cold detachment born of noble breeding. You were earnest, curious—so very alive.

He’d heard the whispers, of course. That you were a lioness raised in gold, your mother’s beauty and your father’s temper wound into one. But he had seen no cruelty in you, no vanity. Only a quiet grace—and a loneliness that, to his surprise, mirrored his own.

“You know,” you began, brushing snow from your gloves, a hint of playfulness threading through your voice, “you seem to be making a habit of finding me in the cold.”

“Or perhaps,” Robb countered easily, “you’re making a habit of keeping company with my wolf.”

You smiled faintly, eyes glinting. “Then I suppose we’re both guilty.”

Greywind trotted between you then, tail wagging, as though satisfied with the truce. Robb hesitated for a heartbeat, then gestured toward the path that lead to the Godswood. “Walk with me?” he asked, a trace of warmth softening his tone. “Before he decides to eat your hand next.”

You laughed—soft and breathy—before straightening and accepting his arm. Your personal guard fell into step a few paces behind, close enough to preserve propriety but far enough to grant you both the illusion of privacy.

“Does it ever stop snowing here?” you asked after a moment, genuine curiosity lacing your tone.

He grinned, the corners of his mouth lifting boyishly. “Not long enough for us to forget what it feels like.”

You smiled in return—small, unguarded—and for a fleeting heartbeat, it made Robb forget himself.

You brushed a light dusting of snow from your sleeve, still smiling faintly. “I enjoy it here,” you admitted. “The cold is… refreshing.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Robb said, amusement colouring his voice. “Most southerners start complaining before they’ve been here a day.”

“I’ve done enough complaining for a lifetime,” you replied softly. “It doesn’t change much.”

Robb turned his head slightly, studying you. Though your voice remained light, there was something in your eyes—a quiet, familiar sorrow you rarely let show. “You don’t seem the sort who sits idle,” he said carefully. “If you wanted something changed, I think you’d find a way.”

You glanced at him then, the corner of your mouth curving in faint amusement. “You think too highly of me, my lord. My father can move armies with a word. I, however, can’t even choose my own husband.”

The words hung between you, sharper than you meant them to be. Robb’s smile faltered slightly. “If our fathers do decide it,” he said after a pause, his voice low and measured, “I’d hope you’d never feel caged here.”

You tilted your head toward him, curiosity softening your features. “You’d let me speak freely? Do as I wish? Hunt, ride, even argue?”

He grinned, the boyish spark returning to his eyes. “Only if you promise not to best me at any of those.”

That earned him another laugh—brighter this time—and the sound carried through the Godswood, breaking the quiet like sunlight through clouds. Even Greywind perked up, trotting ahead before circling back to brush against your skirts, his tail sweeping the snow.

“You’ve a charming wolf,” you teased, reaching down to scratch his head as he leaned eagerly into your touch. “I think he’s taken a liking to me.”

Robb’s smile deepened before he could stop himself. “I’m beginning to think,” he said quietly, “he has a good choice.”

You looked up at him, surprised, and for a moment neither of you spoke. The words hung between you, fragile and too honest.

Robb cleared his throat and turned away toward the heart tree, his cheeks colouring deeper beneath the cold. “He doesn’t warm to strangers easily, I mean.”

“Of course,” you said softly, though the faint curve of your mouth betrayed your amusement. “I’ll take it as a compliment nonetheless.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. You walked side by side beneath the red canopy of the Godswood, your cloaks brushing with each step, the snow falling in soft, lazy flakes around you.

Finally, you broke the quiet. “Do you ever grow tired of this place?” you asked. “Of duty? Of… being what’s expected?”

He thought for a long while before he answered, his voice low. “Sometimes,” he admitted. “But the North doesn’t change for us. It’s not meant to be easy.”

You smiled faintly at that, your gaze sweeping over the snow-dusted branches before landing on the faces carved in the tree. “I think that’s what I like most about this place. In King’s Landing, everything is handed to us with a single word. Here, everyone needs to help to earn their keep, otherwise they answer to the unforgiving winter.”

Robb nodded, thoughtful. “That’s true enough. Up here, a man’s worth is in his work, not his name.”

“And in the South,” you murmured, “it’s the opposite. A man’s name can make him a saint or a monster before he ever opens his mouth.”

Robb’s gaze lingered on you, studying the way your expression shifted as you spoke — not bitter, only weary. “You don’t sound proud of the place you come from.”

You hesitated. “Pride’s a dangerous thing in the capital,” you said at last. “It makes fools of even the clever ones.”

Robb’s steps slowed, his eyes tracing the curve of the heart tree’s pale trunk. “And yet,” he said, voice quieter now, “you don’t strike me as a fool.”

You gave a small laugh. “Then perhaps I’ve fooled you into believing that.” you said lightly.

Robb’s mouth curved faintly. “Perhaps,” he allowed, “but I don’t think so. You see too clearly for it. You… question things that most highborn don’t.”

You turned to look at him then—truly look—and found that he was already watching you. The torchlight from the path flickered across his face, catching in his eyes and making them seem even lighter, like a storm breaking at sea.

Something in your chest tightened. You’d spent your life surrounded by men who wanted to possess or impress you, to see only what they wished to believe. But this—this was different. Robb Stark looked at you as though he were trying to understand you.

“Most people see what they want to see,” you murmured, meeting his gaze. “You, however, seem to see past that.”

Robb swallowed, the movement subtle, his eyes steady on yours. “Perhaps, I just take the time to look,” he said quietly.

The air between you shifted, the silence thickening like the hush before snowfall. There was something disarming in the way he said it—earnest and unguarded. It slipped past your defences before you could stop it.

“You shouldn’t,” you murmured, though the words lacked conviction. “It’s dangerous to look too closely at people. You might not like what you find.”

A faint smile tugged at his mouth. “I think I’d rather see the truth than live blind to it.”

You looked away then, your gaze drifting to the Weirwood’s bleeding face. The red sap glistened like tears frozen mid-fall. “Truth is rarely kind,” you said softly.

“No,” he replied, his voice low and even. “But neither is the North. We endure both just the same.”

For a time, neither of you spoke. Your steps slowed until you stood before the great heart tree, its red leaves whispering faintly in the cold wind. The face carved into its bark watched over you. You stared at it in silence. It was strange, haunting, but somehow… comforting.

“The Old Gods are different from the Seven,” you murmured, studying the weathered lines of the carving. “They don’t promise mercy.”

Robb nodded once. “No,” he agreed quietly. “But they don’t lie either.”

You turned to him, catching the flicker of reverence in his expression as he looked up at the tree. In that moment, he seemed bound to this place in a way you could only envy. “You have faith in them,” you said, your voice softer now.

“I have faith in what endures,” he replied. “The Old Gods don’t demand our prayers. They aren’t cruel or kind. They just watch. Judge us by what we do. We live and die beneath their eyes.”

You considered that, your breath clouding in the air. “Perhaps that’s why your people are so honest,” you said quietly. “You live with eyes always watching.”

He looked at you then, and for the briefest moment, his gaze felt like one of those eyes— seeing far more than you wanted to reveal. You felt warmth bloom under your skin despite the chill.

You dropped your gaze first, brushing a stray snowflake from your glove. “Perhaps I should start praying to them,” you murmured. “The gods in the south have never listened.”

Robb’s voice softened, the ghost of a smile playing at his lips. “If you do, be careful what you ask for. The Old Gods don’t always give what we want—but they give what we need.”

For a long heartbeat, the only sound was the wind threading through the red leaves above you. Then, in a voice barely louder than the whisper of snow, you asked, “If the gods do will it—this betrothal—would you… resent it?”

Robb was quiet, his breath misting in the cold air as he turned toward you. When he finally spoke, his words were measured, honest. “No,” he said, almost gently. “I don’t think I would.” He took a slow step forward, the snow crunching beneath his boots. “Would you?”

You swallowed, your heart beating far too fast. “I think…” Your voice faltered, softer now, meant only for him. “Perhaps our union wouldn’t be such a terrible thing, after all.”

You took a step closer—closer than propriety would ever allow—but your guard stood a few paces off, mercifully distracted. The world around, you and Robb seemed to vanish.

You looked up at him, meeting his eyes—grey and steady as winter skies. You weren’t sure who leaned in first, only that suddenly you could feel his breath on your lips, the warmth of it sharp against the chill. Your heart pounded, the space between you shrinking until there was almost nothing left.

And then—

Something struck the side of your head with a sharp thud.

You gasped, stumbling back as snow splattered across your cloak. Robb’s hand shot out instinctively, steadying you before you could fall. For a heartbeat, you were too stunned to speak.

Then a young girl’s voice rang out, “Got you, Robb!”

“My lady!” your guard exclaimed, rushing to your side. “Are you hurt?”

You stood frozen for a heartbeat, snow sliding down your cheek and into the collar of your cloak. The chill hit you, sharp enough to draw a startled laugh from your lips—a breathless, unguarded sound that startled even your guard. You lifted a gloved hand to wipe the melting snow away, still half laughing.

“I’m quite alright, ser,” you said, waving him back. “No need to defend me from such a fearsome assault.”

Robb, meanwhile, had already spun toward the voice, a mix of horror and exasperation crossing his features. His cheeks were red—whether from the cold or embarrassment, you couldn’t tell.

“Bloody hells, Arya!” he shouted. “You got the princess!”

From behind a snow-covered tree, a small head of tangled brown hair appeared, her wide eyes flicking between you and her brother as she tried—unsuccessfully—to hide her grin. “I was aiming for you!” Arya protested, brushing snow off her gloves.

Robb shot her a look caught somewhere between disbelief and scolding. “And missed by half a godsdamned courtyard!”

Arya only shrugged, utterly unrepentant. Then her attention turned toward you, and her grin faltered. “Are you—are you all right, princess? I didn’t mean—”

You interrupted her with a laugh, brushing melting flakes from your cloak. “It’s quite all right,” you said, still breathless with amusement. “I’ve survived far worse than snow, I promise you.”

Arya blinked, startled by your good humour. “Really?”

“Really,” you confirmed with a smile, crouching just enough to scoop up a small handful of snow. You shaped it deftly between your gloves, your tone turning playfully curious. “Though I am curious, what exactly is this game?”

Robb frowned, instantly suspicious. “Wait—“

But before he could finish, you let the snowball fly. It struck him squarely in the chest, bursting into a spray of white powder that clung to his cloak and furs.

You lowered your hands delicately, schooling your face into mock innocence. “Did I do it right?” you asked, your tone light, almost teasing.

Arya’s mouth dropped open—and then she burst into delighted laughter.

“Did you see that!” she crowed, spinning to where Jon was standing a few paces behind his sister, his arms crossed and a smirk tugging at his mouth. “She got him!” Arya grinned, looking back to Robb. “You should’ve seen your face!”

Robb wiped the snow from his chest, a mock glare darkening his features as he turned toward you. “You—” he sputtered, disbelief warring with amusement, “you threw that at me?”

You lifted your chin, maintaining your imitation of innocence. “Well,” you said easily, “it was meant for you originally, wasn’t it?”

Jon chuckled. “Seems fair to me, brother.”

“Fair?” Robb scoffed, though he was already crouching, his gloved hands gathering snow with a practiced ease that should have warned you. A mischievous grin—far too much like Arya’s—curved his lips. “I call that an act of war.”

You gasped, taking a hasty step back, your eyes widening. “You wouldn’t dare—”

But he did.

The snowball left his hand in a perfect arc and struck your shoulder with a soft, satisfying thwack. Cold flakes burst across your cloak, sliding down your arm as you let out a shocked laugh.

“You—!” you began, your voice caught between outrage and laughter, brushing snow from your shoulder as he stood there looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Arya whooped from somewhere behind him, already ducking for cover. “Get her, Robb!”

That was all the encouragement you needed. You bent swiftly, scooping up a handful of snow of your own, the grin breaking across your face nothing short of wicked. “You’ve declared war, my lord,” you said, shaping the snow between your palms. “Don’t think I’ll yield easily.”

Robb’s grin widened. “I’d expect nothing less, princess.”

In a matter of seconds, the solemn Godswood had transformed into a battleground—snowballs flying, laughter echoing through the air. Arya and Jon took sides without hesitation—Arya with Robb, Jon with you—each barking orders like rival commanders on the field.

Your poor guard stood frozen at the edge of the clearing torn between his duty and self-preservation. He looked utterly bewildered, his hand halfway to his sword as if expecting real danger. He ducked as another snowball hurtled his way—Arya’s, if you had to guess—and let out a startled yelp when it exploded across his chest.

You were laughing so hard you could hardly breathe, snow tangled in your hair, your cheeks flushed from the cold and the sheer absurdity of it all. The world felt lighter—freer—than it ever had before. And through the laughter, the flying snow, and the chaos, Robb’s eyes found yours again—bright, warm, and utterly alive.

For that fleeting moment, it didn’t matter who you were or what fate awaited you.

Greywind barked, bounding between you, snapping playfully at the flying snow as though torn between sides. The four of you spilled from the Godswood into the courtyard, boots crunching over the frost. The few onlookers who happened to pass froze where they stood, blinking in disbelief at the sight of the royal princess and the heirs of Winterfell engaged in a full snow-fight.

At one point, Arya came darting after you, laughter bubbling from her lips as she took aim. You turned to flee—just in time to duck. The snowball soared past you in a perfect arc—right toward the open archway of the courtyard steps, where Sansa and Joffrey had just stepped outside.

Sansa shrieked as the snow splattered across her auburn curls, while Joffrey froze mid-step, flakes clinging to his ornate collar. For a heartbeat, everything went still. Then Sansa was already brushing the snow from her hair, her cheeks burning red with fury and embarrassment.

“Arya!” she cried, her voice shrill and scandalized. “What’s wrong with you?!”

Joffrey rounded on Arya, his face twisted in disdain. “Do you have any idea who I am?” he spat, stepping forward. “You dare to attack the prince?”

The playfulness drained from the air as quickly as the colour from Arya’s face.

She stumbled back, torn between defiance and panic. “It—it was an accident!” she stammered. “I didn’t even see you there! I was aiming for Y/N!”

Joffrey’s eyes cut toward you, his expression souring further. “Aiming for her?” he repeated, voice sharp with disbelief. “You dared to throw snow at a princess?”

Arya blinked, realizing too late what she’d just said. “I—”

But Joffrey was already advancing, his hand twitching at his side, his words venomous. “You filthy little savage,” he spat. “Do you have no respect for your betters? I should make you beg for forgiveness—on your knees.”

Before Robb or Jon could react, you were already moving—swift and steady, the remnants of laughter still dying in your throat as you stepped between them.

“That’s enough,” you said firmly, your tone sharper than anyone had ever heard from you.

Joffrey’s head snapped toward you, disbelief flashing across his face. “Enough?” he repeated, the word spat like venom. “You mean to defend her? She hit me!”

“She’s a child,” you interrupted coolly, your tone calm but edged in steel. You stood tall, unflinching despite the prince’s fury. “And we were playing. You’ve been struck by snow, not steel. I think you’ll live.”

A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers. Sansa’s eyes went wide with horror. “Y/N—it was her fault!” she blurted, desperate to smooth the tension.

“Princess,” You corrected, “Do not think you can speak to me so familiarly,” you said, your voice dropping, cold as the northern winter. The sharpness of it startled even you. A little of your mother’s ice—your father’s command—cut through the air as you turned your glare on both of them. “She is your sister. And she has done nothing to warrant your insults or your temper.”

Sansa flinched, her face colouring as she bowed her head. “I—I didn’t mean—”

“She attacked us!” Joffrey snapped, indignant fury twisting his features. “It’s an insult!”

You arched a brow, every inch the queen you were born to be. “If you cannot tell the difference between an insult and a game, then perhaps you are the one who should be sent to the nursery.”

His face turned crimson. “Watch your tongue,” he hissed, stepping closer. “I am your prince!”

You didn’t move. “And yet you act like a spoiled child,” you stated calmly. “Titles don’t make men, Joffrey. Actions do.”

He froze, his pride striking like a wounded animal. The sneer crept back onto his lips, his voice thick with spite. “You forget your place, sister. I’ll not be shamed before these northern savages—”

“Enough!” The single word cut through his rant like a blade. “You will hold your tongue,” you said, your composure trembling on the edge of fury. “Or I swear by every god—old and new—you’ll prove yourself as much a fool as people already whisper you are.”

Joffrey’s face went red, then pale, the edges of his mouth curling in silent outrage. “You—”

And that was when his hand moved.

He didn’t think—he simply reacted, his pride goading him further. The sound of his glove cutting through the air was sharp as a whip as he raised his hand to strike you.

But Robb was faster.

He caught Joffrey’s wrist mid-swing, his fingers locking around it with unyielding strength. The motion was so swift, so instinctive, that even the prince seemed stunned by it. Robb’s grip tightened—not enough to harm, but enough to make Joffrey wince.

“You’ll lower your hand,” Robb said, his voice low and edged with danger. “Before you do something very, very stupid.”

Joffrey glared up at him, his mouth twisting into a snarl. “Unhand me,” he spat, his voice cracking with indignation. “You’ve no right—”

Robb’s jaw clenched, the muscle in his cheek tightening as his voice cut through the cold air. “You’re standing in my home,” he said evenly, each word heavy with command. “And in my home, you will not lay a hand on a woman—” His voice dropped an octave, a warning growl. “My woman.”

The words had your heart stuttering in your chest. You’d danced around the prospect of marriage, nearly kissed beneath the red leaves of the Godswood, but you’d never let yourself believe he wanted you, not truly. Not beyond duty.

Yet now there was no denying it.

Joffrey froze, his outrage faltering beneath the weight of something colder—fear, maybe, or the realization that Robb Stark was not a man he could cow with titles or threats. Robb was everything Joffrey wasn’t: grounded, unyielding, and very much in control. A man defending what was his.

The courtyard had gone utterly still. The only sound was Greywind’s low, guttural growl rumbling through the air from where he stood protectively by your side. The Direwolf’s hackles stood high, his teeth flashing white as he took a single step forward, golden eyes locked on the prince.

“Call off your beast,” Joffrey spat, his voice cracking, his earlier confidence bleeding into panic.

You stepped closer, your shoulder brushing Robb’s as you met the prince’s glare head-on. “Then perhaps you should return inside, Joffrey,” you said, your tone calm but laced with quiet authority. “Before you embarrass yourself further.”

Joffrey’s mouth twisted, fury flashing in his eyes. For a heartbeat, you thought he might try again—but then his pride faltered beneath the combined weight of Robb’s unflinching stare and Greywind’s low, rumbling growl.

He yanked his arm free, his movements jerky, his voice trembling with barely-contained rage. “You’ll regret this,” he hissed, each word dripping venom.

He turned sharply, cloak snapping behind him as he stormed toward the keep, boots crunching furiously in the snow. Sansa scrambled after him, her face pale and stricken. “Joffrey, wait—please, he didn’t mean—” Her voice faded into the cold as the great doors slammed shut behind them, leaving the courtyard in breathless silence.

The courtyard seemed to exhale all at once. You stood there, heart still pounding, the wind tugging at your cloak.

Robb hadn’t moved either. His hand was still half-raised from where he’d stopped Joffrey, his chest rising and falling steadily beneath his furs. His gaze shifted from the closed doors to you, softening the instant your eyes met.

The world around you was cold, but his voice, when it came, was not.

“Are you all right?” Robb asked quietly. The edge of command that had cut through his tone moments ago was gone, replaced by something gentler—concern, threaded with the faint tremor of leftover anger.

You swallowed, willing your pulse to steady, and nodded. “Yes,” you said softly, exhaling a shaky breath. “Thank you. But I’ve grown up dealing with Joffrey’s tantrums.”

The words came out lighter than you felt, but Robb’s expression didn’t ease. His brow furrowed, his gaze searching your face as if to make certain you spoke the truth.

“No one should have to,” he said finally, his voice low but steady. “You shouldn’t have to grow used to that kind of behaviour.”

You gave a faint, humourless smile. “You’ll find that my brother believes the world bends to his will. He’s never been told otherwise. My mother turns a blind eye, my father laughs it off. He was born thinking he could do no wrong.”

Robb’s jaw tightened. “Then perhaps it’s time someone did.”

Despite yourself, a small giggle slipped past your lips—a soft, incredulous sound. “Careful, my lord. If the king hears you’ve manhandled his heir, there might be a war before dinner.”

Robb huffed a quiet laugh, the tension in his shoulders finally easing. The corner of his mouth curved, but before either of you could say more, a small voice broke through the quiet.

“I… I didn’t mean to.”

You turned to find Arya standing a few paces away, Jon protectively beside her. Snow clung to her hair and lashes, her brown eyes wide with guilt. The defiance that had burned so brightly during the snowball fight was gone—what stood before you now was a child afraid she’d started something terrible.

“Hush now, Arya,” you said softly, your tone gentling as you crossed the snow toward her. “There’s no need to fret.”

You knelt so that your eyes met hers, your cloak pooling around you in the snow. “My brother has always been quick to anger,” you murmured, offering her a reassuring smile. The girl’s lip trembled, her gloved hands still clutching a half-formed snowball she’d long forgotten to throw. “It wasn’t your fault. You were only playing, and he—” You hesitated, searching for the right words. “He doesn’t yet understand the difference between pride and respect.”

Arya frowned, her brows knitting together. “But he almost struck you,” she said in a small voice, glancing between you and Robb. “Because you wouldn’t let him punish me.”

You met her gaze steadily, your tone quiet but firm. “Because you did nothing wrong,” you said.

The simplicity of your words made Arya blink, her wide eyes searching your face. “You’re not like the other southerners,” she said at last, almost accusingly.

A small laugh escaped you. “Is that a compliment?”

Arya’s mouth curved into a tentative grin. “Maybe.”

You reached out and tapped the tip of her nose lightly, dislodging a flake of snow. “Then I’ll take it as one.”

Robb watched the exchange in silence, his expression softening as he saw Arya’s tension dissolve beneath your words. When you rose to your feet, brushing the snow from your skirts, he found himself smiling without meaning to. His gaze drifted to his brother, who was sending him a knowing look. Jon was right. You didn’t belong to the same world as Joffrey.

As you turned to look at him, a faint smile still lingering on your lips, Robb felt something settle deep in his chest—steady and certain. He didn’t know what the King would decide, nor what his father would say when the time came. But for the first time since the betrothal had been spoken of, he knew what he wanted.

He wanted you to stay.

Not out of duty. Not out of command. But because he’d begun to believe the gods themselves had sent you north—not to bind two houses, but to give him something he hadn’t known he was looking for.

And perhaps, if the gods were listening, they would give him that chance.

The day had come grey and cold, a thin veil of snow drifting lazily through the air. Winterfell’s great hall, usually alive with the hum of conversation and clatter of dishes, was subdued—its vast stone walls echoing only with the low murmur of men awaiting the will of kings and lords.

Robb stood a few paces behind his father, his hands clasped neatly behind his back, every muscle in his body drawn taut. To his right, Lady Catelyn sat composed and still, though the flicker of worry in her eyes betrayed her calm. Beside her, Sansa’s expression was bright but anxious, her fingers twisting the silken folds of her gown in her lap.

Across the hall, the King’s court stood in stark contrast—southern finery gleaming beneath the gray light. Your father slouched in his chair, broad and imposing even in his half-sober state. His laughter, usually loud enough to fill any room, had quieted into a gruff patience he seldom possessed.

Beside him, your mother sat like a statue carved from cold marble. Her green eyes gleamed with restrained disdain. She looked every inch the queen, every inch the lioness who would rather be anywhere else than here in the wolf’s den.

And behind her, you stood.

Your head was bowed in perfect decorum, but Robb noticed the subtle tremor in your hands where they clutched your cloak. You looked small beneath the vaulted ceiling, framed by the grey stone and the banners of House Stark. 

Robert’s booming voice filled the hall, breaking the quiet. “Well, Ned,” He said, leaning forward with a weary grin, “we’ve danced around it long enough. You know why I came—to bind our houses once and for all. Lions and wolves, standing together. I’ll not have it wait another day.”

Lord Stark’s expression was calm, thoughtful. “Aye, Your Grace. But the choice must serve both houses—and the children themselves. This isn’t a decision to make lightly.”

Cersei’s lips curved in a thin, cutting smile. “The realm has little patience for northern hesitation, Lord Stark,” she said coolly. “The match must be worthy of the crown.”

Robert waved a hand dismissively. “Gods, woman, enough of your prattle.” His attention swung back to Ned, his heavy voice echoing off the stone. “We’ve two fine children from each house. My son Joffrey, and daughter Y/N. Your son Robb, and daughter Sansa. Either match would serve well enough—but which one, that’s the question.”

The silence that followed seemed to stretch.

Robb felt Sansa’s gaze flick toward their father—wide, pleading, hopeful. Her hands were folded tightly in her lap, knuckles white against the fabric of her gown. She had dreamed of this match since the day the royal party had arrived, and though Robb wanted to look away, he couldn’t.

His father’s voice broke the stillness. “My daughter Sansa is of age to wed the prince, should it please the crown,” he said, the words falling with measured restraint. “It would be a great honour.” 

Robb’s stomach twisted. He could feel every word land like a blow. The image rose unbidden in his mind—Sansa’s soft smile turned toward Joffrey, the way her cheeks flushed when he looked her way. She saw a golden prince; Robb saw the cruelty that gleamed behind those same golden eyes. The thought of his sister bound to that… boy made his chest tighten until it was hard to breathe.

But worse still was the image that followed—one he hadn’t meant to summon, one that struck deeper.

He imagined a life without you.

You, standing beside some nameless lord in King’s Landing, your fire dimmed beneath the weight of courtly duty. You, smiling that polite, practiced smile that never reached your eyes. You, turning from him in the Godswood for the last time.

The thought clawed at him, sharp and cold as the northern wind. He had told himself it was folly to think of you—to imagine a future that might never be—but now, as the King’s words echoed through the hall, the possibility of losing you settled in his chest like a stone.

You were duty, yes. But you were also more.

And for the first time, Robb Stark found himself praying—not to the Old Gods for strength or guidance, He prayed that fate would be kind.

He drew a slow breath through his nose, forcing his shoulders to remain square, his expression composed even as his heart hammered in his chest.

Across the hall, Robert leaned back in his chair, his heavy crown tilting slightly as he studied the two families before him. “Aye,” he said after a long pause, nodding once. “A fine match indeed.”

But then his gaze shifted—first to you, then to Robb.

He lingered on the sight of you, head bowed in quiet poise, the faint tremor of unease in the way your fingers tightened around the edge of your cloak. And then his eyes flicked to Robb—rigid, jaw clenched, blue-grey eyes stayed fixed on you. 

Robert recognized that look. He’d worn it once himself—long ago, for Lyanna Stark.

His brows drew together, voice lowering into something more thoughtful. “And yet…” he murmured. “There’s sense in matching the North with my daughter, too.”

Your head snapped up, hope flickering across your face as your gaze darted between your father and Robb.

Meanwhile, your mother’s head turned sharply toward your father, her eyes flashing with cold fury. “Your Grace—” she began, her voice tight with warning.

But Robert ignored her. His eyes were on Ned, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips. “Tell me, old friend,” he said, his tone deceptively casual. “What does your boy think of the matter?”

The hall went still.

Ned hesitated, his gaze flicking briefly toward his son. “He will obey his duty,” he said at last, his voice even. “Whatever is decided.”

Robert barked a laugh, the sound echoing off the stone walls. “A true Stark answer!” he said, raising his cup in mock salute. “But I didn’t ask for duty, Ned. I asked for thought.”

All eyes turned to Robb.

The hall seemed to narrow around him, every sound fading until all he could hear was the rush of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. Slowly, he looked toward his father, seeking steadiness in the familiar lines of his face—but his gaze didn’t linger there.

It found you.

Your gaze met his, uncertain but searching. The flicker of hope shifting something in his chest shifted. 

And before he could stop himself, he spoke. “I would marry her.”

The words rang out clear and steady, but his heart hammered behind them. He barely saw the flicker of shock that crossed Ned’s face or the sharp intake of breath from his mother. His eyes were only on you—your parted lips, the way your breath caught, the hesitant, hopeful smile that followed.

A low murmur rippled through the hall like wind through dry leaves. Cersei’s expression hardened, the colour draining from her cheeks, while Sansa made a small, strangled sound beside her mother — disbelief and hurt mingling in her wide blue eyes.

Robert’s brows lifted, amusement flickering across his face. “You would, would you?” he rumbled, leaning back in his chair, half in jest and half in curiosity.

Robb nodded once, never taking his eyes off you as he addressed your father. His voice was calm but resolute. “Aye, I would,” he said. “We remember those who stand with honour, and she has done that since the day she rode through our gates. She’s shown nothing but grace and courage since she arrived. The North could ask for no finer lady—” he hesitated, his breath catching for the briefest moment before he finished, softer, “—I could ask for no finer lady. If it please Your Grace, and with my father’s blessing, I would be proud to call her my wife.”

Your eyes widened slightly, a faint breath slipping from your lips. You could feel every gaze on you, but all you could see was him as he stood tall and unflinching in the centre of the hall, the firelight catching the auburn in his hair and tracing the proud lines of his face. His voice had stilled a room full of royalty and lords, yet his eyes were fixed only on you—as though the rest of the world had fallen away.

“Seven hells, Ned,” Robert said at last, a booming laugh rolling from his chest, breaking the tension like thunder. “You’ve raised yourself a proper lord.” He turned his grin toward Robb, still chuckling. “You sound more like your father than you know.”

Then his gaze shifted to you. “Well, girl? You’ve heard the lad. Would you have the wolf for a husband?”

Your lips parted, your breath trembling in your throat. You had been promised, paraded, spoken of your entire life but never once had anyone spoken for you like this. Never once had you felt as though the choice might truly be your own.

And now, for the first time in your life, you knew exactly what you wanted.

You drew a slow breath, steadying the frantic beat of your heart. “If it please Your Grace,” you said softly, your voice clear despite the thundering in your chest, “then I would.”

The hall erupted — some gasping, some murmuring, a few already clapping — but all of it faded into a distant hum. Robb’s eyes found yours again, and this time, you smiled — small, genuine, and full of something neither of you dared name.

Robert leaned forward, grin wide beneath his beard. “Ned?” he prompted.

For a long moment, Lord Stark said nothing. His gaze rested on his son, studying him—not as a father scrutinizing a boy, but as a man weighing the measure of another and his gaze seemed to soften with pride at what he saw.

Finally, he inclined his head toward the King. “I think the matter is decided, Your Grace.”

Robert roared with laughter, the sound booming off the stone walls. “Good! It’s settled then! The lioness of the South and the wolf of the North!” He lifted his cup high, wine sloshing over the rim. “May the gods damn well bless this union—and grant them strength enough not to tear each other apart!”

The crowd broke into applause, the tension snapping like a bowstring. But amid the noise and the celebration, not all faces shared in the joy.

Cersei rose sharply, her chair scraping against the floor, fury flashing in her green eyes. “You cannot be serious,” she hissed, her words cutting through the laughter. Her gaze burned into Robert’s, venom barely restrained.

“Silence, woman!” Robert bellowed, turning on her with a thunderous glare. “You’ll not sour this moment with your scheming tongue. The matter’s settled.”

Cersei’s lips pressed into a bloodless line as she sat, the gold of her crown catching the firelight like a warning.

And you—your breath trembled, your pulse a storm beneath your skin—but when Robb’s gaze met yours again, something steady flickered there.

A strange, unexpected calm.

Because in that moment, for the first time since the betrothal had been mentioned, you didn’t feel like a pawn in your father’s game.

You felt seen. Not as a daughter of the throne, not as a prize to be bartered, but as yourself.

And across the hall, Robb Stark’s hand curled at his side. For him, too, the weight of duty—the burden of blood, of family, of expectation—suddenly didn’t feel quite so heavy.

For the first time, it felt like choice.

Sensing her lose her will yet again, you know you should be trying to rally her spirits, but you don’t feel that much more optimistic yourself. Along the bridge, after several eliminations from 096’s cruel strategy, five players are stuck with their energy slowly waning. Anyone would be foolish to step onto the track now. You’ve all found yourself in an icy stalemate. 

Instinctually, you gravitate towards your greatest source of strength. Hyunju glances up when your shadow falls over her crouched form. As tall as she is, you realise you’ve never looked at her from above. It doesn’t make her seem small necessarily, but perhaps more delicate. Her eyes are rounded in worry, her plush lips frowning slightly. You wish you could leave the world behind and kiss her silly. 

Instead, another scream and elimination announcement sours your train of thoughts. She’s waiting for you to speak - it takes a moment for land on what you actually want to say. More than a discussion, you just want her close. “Do we have a new plan? Considering, you know,” you trail off with a vague handwave towards the bridge.

Hyunju’s face falls slightly and she stands up to join you. Beside the two of you, Daeho watches the game warily, one hand massaging just above his calf. “Once the bridge clears up, we have to move fast. Everybody else is getting as panicked as we are so our window to avoid bottlenecking will be short. Daeho’s feeling better-” the boy in question glances up and nods at the sentence given more like a command than a check-in, “so him and I will go first. You’ll be right behind us. Understood?”

Daeho nods again despite Hyunju’s words being directed at you. The way her authority surrounds her like an aura is almost enough to make you smile. “Understood, Sergeant,” you chirp with as much verve as you can muster. “But what ha-”

Your sentence is overshadowed by a shrill scream. You whirl around, desperately hoping something’s being done about 096. Instead, the sound comes from a woman on your side of the bridge, the second one along. “Go back!” she’s shrieking as she faces the younger man that stands between her and the starting podium. 

“I can’t,” he bemoans, barely staying coordinated enough to jump in place. The woman, player 349, demands it again and again until finally the boy gives in. He’s stuttering so much that you can’t tell if he’s actually trying to say anything as he swivels to face all of you, face white. 

“Go, hurry up!” 349 urges in a desperate shout. Right after their feet land after a jump, she takes the chance to shove him forward to get him moving. However, the stumble costs him precious time. He gets out of her way not by returning to the platform but by a swift blow to the ankles. 

She whimpers, perhaps shocked at her own actions, but manages to gather herself enough to head back. Slowly but steadily, she bunny-hops her way back to relative safety as the whole room watches on. 

As soon as she’s cleared the rope, 349 crumples forward at the waist, a sound punched out of her that you can’t pin down as a cough or a gag. 

“You okay?”

349 glances up at the sardonic tone anxiously, only to be met with a sharp kick to the chest. Though his back is to you, you can vividly picture the smug grin on his face as she falls, a scream cut off with a nauseating crunch. 

In unison, those of you on the platform take a wary step back. At the uneasy murmuring, he turns to face the crowd. “What are you looking at?” he demands rhetorically, sporting the exact expression you’d pictured. “I did you all a favour.” 

Hyunju knits her brows and opens her mouth before she thinks better of it. Instead, she shares a grim look with you, eyes darting to the bridge. In your distraction, you’d clearly missed some developments. Gihun and 096 are grappling dangerously close to the unbarred edge of the platform, the former on his back as the larger man maintains the advantage. The three players on the bridge are making their way across, fatigued as they are, but none risk intervening. 

Your gaze cuts back to Hyunju, who takes a bracing breath. “No,” you plead before your mind even catches up. “No, Hyunju, don’t-”

“We all have to cross eventually,” she points out kindly, reaching out a hand to gently clasp yours. “I’ll come back to help you all. He saved Junhee’s child; I have to do something.”

You know in that moment that there’s nothing you can say that would change her mind, and that it wouldn’t be morally sound even if you could. She’s right; after Gihun’s repeated selflessness this week, the last thing he deserves is to be left without aid. You just hope he can fend 096 off long enough to make Hyunju’s risk worth it. 

Instead of speaking, you use your free arm to pull her into a tight hug, pressing your cheek against her shoulder. She drops your hand in favour of returning the embrace in full, though with the stakes at hand she lets go just as fast. “I’ll come back,” she assures a second time, and turns to the bridge. 

While several players loiter by the edge, nobody has gathered the courage to cross while 096 is still trying to gain the upper hand on the other side. Gihun’s arm is wedged between them, and it looks like he’s trying to scratch at the man’s face to little avail. Hyunju squares her shoulders, walks through the crowd, and steps onto the bridge like it’s nothing.

As soon as her feet leave the narrow planks for the first time, you feel the air leave you in a vacuum. You wish selfishly that you could see her face, take reassurance in the steely confidence she radiates, but all you can see is her hair in a low, short ponytail shifting with each jump. 

From behind, a hand clumsily paws at your hip. You look down, distractedly, and see Daeho blindly reaching for your hand as he keeps his eyes locked on her. As he catches and squeezes it tight enough the bones drag against each other, his bottom lip trembles. “Do you think…?”

“She’ll make it,” you utter fiercely, despite the rabbitlike pulse in your neck. He gulps, pale as ever, and you realise that for him she’s not just a friend but a life raft. His chances are slim with her, and nothing without. 

Though you’re relatively unharmed, you don’t feel like you’d make it across without her either.

In the few moments Daeho’s taken your attention, Hyunju has made significant headway. So much so that when you first glance back over, you fear for a second that she’d silently fallen. Instead, you crane your neck and see her more than halfway across, taking a few jumps in place to gauge the gap across the midde of the track. You bite your tongue to hold back the cheers of encouragement that would only serve as distraction. Go!, you scream in your mind, keep moving!

Beyond her, Gihun has managed to roll 096 off of him, though even as he kneels on the player and throws a punch, you can see he’s still playing defence. He wants to subdue 096, not kill him. It’s that reluctance, that hesitation that is going to prevent him from winning this particular battle. To their right, 100 and the two others have let their attention fall on Junhee’s child. 

Hyunju is almost there. Her progress has clearly inspired something in the others; two - no, three men have stepped up to the bridge, briefly spatting over who gets on first. Dropping your eyes to the narrow bridge below their feet, your heart drops. No way is there room for two. Hyunju hasn’t quite finished crossing yet, but you already know. It’s going to be a one-way trip.

“Oh.” Geumja’s voice is so quiet you barely catch it. Even quieter, she eases herself down beside Daeho and says nothing further. Despite the bleakness of your situation, all three of you sigh in relief the second Hyunju clears the rope, landing on the other side with practised ease. 

The timer clicks down relentlessly, but for now you allow that relief to run its course, watching with bated breath as Hyunju wastes no time striding over to the men. Gihun has his knee on 096’s thigh, trying to keep his arms pinned down. Focused as he is, he doesn’t notice the ex-sergeant coming until she’s bending down, grabbing a fistful of 096’s jacket and yanking him right out from under Gihun. 

Tumbling to the other side, Gihun stares in disbelief as Hyunju squats down. Without sparing him a glance, she spreads a broad hand right across 096’s face. His head is knocked down roughly against the solid ground. Even past the chaotic chatter and rhythmic whoosh of the rope, his muffled shout of pain rings out. 096 flails, hands flying up towards her, kicks not shifting her at all. She lifts him and brings him down a second time, harder with the added momentum. 

The chatter begins to die down; 096 begins to flounder. 

Hyunju cracks his head against the floor once more, though not as harshly. At this point, he looks completely limp. Hunched over him, she pulls her hand back to clasp his jaw and shake his head, giving Gihun a decisive nod at whatever it is she finds. “He’s just unconscious,” she calls out once she sees eyes on her. Aware of the hesitance the men on the bridge have to join her on the platform, she waves them on encouragingly. “Come on; there’s not much time. He won’t interfere any longer.”

It’s not long before Hyunju is craning her neck to see past them and find you. She smiles - not exactly beaming, but warm nonetheless. You try to frame that image in your mind before the same realisation you had when she crossed hits her. Hyunju starts towards the bridge, sees how quickly it’s filling up, and stops in her tracks. She’s too far away for you to read the expression in her eyes, but you can envision them scanning the bridge, running through a million scenarios and potential strategies. You’re no mastermind, but it seems the two of you have come to the same conclusion. 

“At least one of us has crossed,” you vaguely hear Geumja mutter to you both, “and now that terrible man can’t meddle any more.” You don’t have the energy to return the comment.

The strongest of you is stuck on the other side. There are two who are at a strong physical disadvantage, and it’s not like your survival is a guarantee either. More capable players have been swept off their feet all the same. You really thought the plan would work, you chastise yourself bitterly. Not wanting to have Hyunju feel entirely useless, you hold your hands up, miming rocking a baby, and pointing to the small congregation of players that had surrounded Junhee’s daughter.

Hyunju looks back and forth once, reluctant but accepting, and she quickly buries past them, out of sight for now. A sigh gushes out of you, and your muscles feel sapped of energy, but the bench is full. You turn to your friends who occupy it, mind whirring but drawing blanks. “So,” you start, suddenly breathless like you’re about to public speak. Nervous. Geumja and Daeho stare up at you hopelessly, giving you the time to try and calm yourself down again. You’re all too aware of the bottleneck forming at the start of the bridge. “Brainstorm? No such thing as a bad idea.”

The weak attempt at humour just comes out brittle, and Geumja’s face crumples further. “Dear,” she soothes, and the kindness in her voice makes your eyes sting, “it’s over for us. You go.”

That’s not an option. You rub at your sternum, freezing when you recognise the self-soothing movement you’d seen Namgyu do a hundred times. You bring your hand up to gnaw at a rough cuticle instead. “It’s not- Okay, so-” Your heart is racing again, and you bite down harder, hoping with pain will come clarity. Daeho says your name and you pretend you haven’t heard him. “I think… Daeho, you go in front so I can help keep you upright if you need, and Geumja, you can be behind us to watch the rhythm. Us two can practice when we wait in line.”

“I’m fine right here.”

You bristle at Geumja’s defeated tone. “Can you just listen, please? I’m trying to-” Cutting yourself off before tears can fall, you take another soothing breath and blink them back. “I think we can do it, but you have to get up and try. Don’t just sit there and give up. We’re tougher than that,” you rally.

“I agree,” Geumja assures tightly, and for a moment the knot in your chest unravels. “We are tough. And if the two of you stick together, I know you can do it.”

“You’re in a better state than me,” Daeho points out, gingerly lifting his leg. His face is stricken in comparison to Geumja’s stoicism, but you still admire the conviction in his voice as he offers to be the one to stay behind. 

Geumja doesn’t hear him out for more than a few seconds, cutting off the rambling. “You have your sisters waiting out there for you. Your nieces and nephews, I bet a young man like you has plenty of friends. I don’t have anyone waiting for me anymore.”

She says it in such a matter-of-fact tone that it makes you bristle. “You have us,” you point out, even as your heart ices over at the reminder of Yongsik’s death the day before. “We can support each other.”

Daeho dips his head with a low sigh as Geumja leans forward, taking your hand in hers. “I’m tired, dear.”

“I’m tired,” you fire back immediately, and this time you’re unable to prevent the crack in your voice. “I’m tired, Geumja, but I’m still going to try. Why won’t you just try?”

“Listen.” Her hands clutch onto you iron-tight, and you’re unprepared for the sharpness of your tone. “Perhaps if things were different, I’d be on that bridge. But this is the hand we’ve been dealt, and between that-” her chin jabs out to the death trap behind you, “and a quick bullet, I’m choosing the bullet. At least grant me that dignity. I’ve made my peace with it.” 

She knows you can’t say anything to that. Your lip trembles, even as you press your hand against it. You barely feel the raw ache of the damage your teeth have done to the skin around your nail. “But we had dinner plans,” you utter weakly, tears and snot alike tracking down your face. 

Geumja’s own eyes glisten at that, and she uses the hold on you to hoist herself up, reaching up to rub at your cheeks. “Don’t cry, dear. You’ll need to see clearly. There’s a lovely wee kalguksu place on the corner of Myeongdong 8 and 10. You’ll love it.”

Defeated, you drop your gaze to Daeho. He spares a miserable look to the bulky bandage around his calf, then gives you a grim smile. “I think it’s better if I-”

“Stand up,” you and Geumja command in unison. Daeho’s taken aback, and despite yourself you share a weak chuckle with the older woman. She reaches out to smack him on the shoulder. “Don’t steal my thunder, boy. Get up there.”

It’s only as he quickly scrubs at his face that you realise he’s been crying too. Heart softening, you carefully lift your hand out of Geumja’s and help hoist him to his feet. He stumbles for a moment, but grits his teeth and stands up straight. “Let’s do this,” he says with renewed determination. 

You’re tempted to give Geumja one last hug, but you know you’d be inconsolable if you did and she’s impatiently ushering you towards the crowd besides. Daeho lets himself lean heavy on you, shame gone. It’s better he reserves his strength and pain tolerance for when he really needs it. 

“I hate this fucking place,” he mutters, and your lip twitches. You don’t think you’ve heard him curse before. Slowly, yet much too fast, you approach the front of the platform. Daeho cuts you a glance. “Don’t forget that address. I’m so hungry I could kill the chicken myself.”

A surprised laugh bubbles out of you before you can control it, and you shrink at the disbelieving looks you garner from the terrified players around you. Daeho puffs his chest a little. 

You’re all set to step on when a rough hand lands on your shoulder. “Wait just a second, little lady,” a painfully familiar voice dictates, “I’m not about to be stuck behind a cripple.” 203 passes you, shoving you back a little but thankfully just sidestepping the injured man he wants to overtake. Daeho doesn’t complain, nor do you. It’s probably best you don’t get between an impatient and dangerous man and his finish line.

As planned, Daeho steps on first. You’re gripping onto the back of his jacket so tightly that your knuckles are off-white, but he seems entirely focused on the challenge ahead. The rope swings down, the bar inches away from his face. He sucks in a sharp breath, forcing it out slower on the exhale. The two of you will need to step forward far enough in the gap that you’re both on the inside. 

You ignore the pushing and shoving behind you, the familiar faces on the other side intently watching you, and instead time the swings. One, two thr-. It’s faster than you’d expected. You speed up your count until the rope passes on every fourth beat. “Next one,” you whisper to Daeho, and he answers with a nod.

The second it clears the bridge, you follow him quickly forward, heart racing so intensely it twists. To Daeho’s credit, he walks strong, and right on the fourth the two of you jump, the metal rushing below. You land evenly, forcing yourself to stick to your timing, and before you get the chance to check on Daeho, you’re jumping again. 

You hear a punched-out groan, but from behind it looks like Daeho is holding steady. Another jump. One, two, three, jump. As a collective, those of you on the bridge seem to have established a joint rhythm. The PA system pipes up only to announce success. There’s no time to entertain hope. Jump. The two of you creep forward, slow but more stable than you would’ve predicted. You can only imagine the pain Daeho is forcing himself to endure. 

The real test will be the wider gap right across the centre of the path. For the hundredth time, you’re cursing the cruelty of the game makers for every nasty little detail they’ve included. 

After what feels like an eternity, you reach the gap. Or, at least, Daeho does. “Oh, god,” he moans lowly when he sees the void between. “I don’t know if I can-” He has to pause to jump, but you don’t let him finish his sentence anyway.

“You will,” you rebut swiftly, “suck it up, marine. Your sisters are on the other side”

In any other situation, the way he straightens up immediately would be endearing. Instead, it just fuels your desperation to keep moving, that distracting hope you’re trying not to indulge in. 

“We can’t both jump at once,” he points out, and instantly your fingers slacken around the back of the jacket. He’s right. He hasn’t needed your support yet, but the chance is higher taking such a large, risky leap. But there’s nothing to be done for it. “I’m gonna- Alright, on the next-”

Without proper warning, Daeho is shooting forward the second his feet leave the bridge. You land on your side before he does, and time slows to a crawl as you watch in sheer dread.

The foot that propelled him forward - the strong, uninjured one - is higher than the other, and will land last. All his weight is going to come slamming down on a partially-lacerated muscle. Worse, he’ll have less time to push off for the next jump. 

Your heart drops out from under you as you prepare yourself, and in this warped perception it’s near impossible to keep your timing. You’ll be running on instinct, but that’s better than what Daeho has in his court. 

As long as you live, you’ll never fathom how he did it. One might call it a miracle that he landed along his centre of gravity, or pure adrenaline taking over, but you know it’s all him.

Daeho lands hard on his injured leg. He lets out a scream, strangled like the noise itself pains him. That knee buckles, and by the time his second foot lands, it judders with the impact. You’re jumping again in place with no room yet on the other side, and for a moment you’re certain he’s going to be swept away. But with a show of raw grit, he uses both legs to propel himself up as soon as they both hit the bridge. The agony makes him cry out again, lower as if he might vomit from it, but his soles just barely clear the metal pole. 

As if it’s not a feat in itself, he’s even managed to make progress forward, and there’s space enough for you to leap across the hellish gap yourself. Returning to your count of four, you brace yourself and push forward on the next swing. 

Instinctively, your arms rush up in fear of jumping too far and knocking straight into him. You needn’t worry. In fact, the opposite is more likely. Your back heel finds air, the outer plank of wood digging into the arch. Your reflexes kick in, an icy flash down your spine forcing your muscles into action and quickly shifting your weight forward. Arms flailing to your sides, you blessedly manage to catch yourself in just enough time to pull your foot forward and flat to launch yourself up for the next swing. It’s seconds - four rushed seconds, if that - but it feels like an eternity in which death feels imminent. How shameful it would’ve been to die after Daeho’s show of intense willpower. 

There’s yelling from behind, and you’re reminded of the time limit. There’s not a chance you’re risking precious moments on looking to the side, and can only assume there’s enough of a buffer for you to both cross. Clearly those behind you have reason to worry. 

In front, a screech lights up and fades as someone misjudges their step. From what you can see, a player hadn’t jumped forward enough. Instead of making it, the vertical bar itself caught her and flung her off. Robbed of life at the last second. It sends another chill down your spine, and you urge Daeho forward with words you hope come across as encouraging and not impatient. 

Players yet to pass are dividing into hurried and overly cautious now that elimination is back in your minds. This mix of paces causes collisions behind you, and you knit your brows and try and ignore the yelling and occasional thud. For all you know, the numbers announced over the speaker could be ones familiar to you, but there’s just not enough space in your mind for it. You jump, wincing when you see a wobble in Daeho’s form.

All caught in the throes of adrenaline, nobody on the bridge, you included, reacts to the bang. 

In unison, you jump to avoid a rope that never lands. Instead, the sudden noise is followed swiftly by the great shriek of metal on metal. To your upper right, the pole judders to an unsteady stop. Still, the instinct of some players has them hopping a second time before they realise the rope isn’t coming for them. 

For a moment or two, nobody moves. Daeho reluctantly takes the chance to lean back on you a little more, and you tense up your legs to hold fast. You’re not the only one; the other five players currently spread along the bridge hold their centres of gravity low and defensive. Across from you all, the timer still clicks away. 

In the stunned silence, two near-simultaneous clicks catch your attention. You can’t see past the players ahead or behind, but a distant, “where’s he going?” signals the apparent departure of the pink guards that had been standing sentry until now. All of you are alone, with no obstacle in the way. 

It’s 203 that reacts first. 

“Move!” he shouts emphatically, walking right up to the person behind him to push him forward. “Get across, what the fuck are you waiting for?” And like his words were a starter pistol, everyone erupts into a panicked rush to get to the winning side. 

“Let’s go,” Daeho murmurs, and you feel some of the weight lift off of you. It’s much easier to navigate without the jumping, but nobody can relax, knowing it may return at any given moment. You hear the clamour of people desperate to get on the bridge, but you force yourself not to glance behind. 

Despite careful but steady progress being made, 203 clearly has run out of patience. You watch in disbelief as he treads right on the edge of the tracks and overtakes the man in front, shoving him again. This time, however, it’s not to push him forward. It’s to push him off.

The middle-aged man is too taken aback to scream until he’s moments from landing. The thud makes all of you grimace, a faint echo all that is left behind. You feel the strangest sensation of anticlimax that you can’t put your finger on.

The reminder of your potential fate has Daeho curling in on himself, letting out a pained grunt as he tries to move forward a little faster. You’re sure he’s thinking just as much as you are that you would’ve been screwed if you were in front of 203 rather than behind, and there’s every chance another shady player may enter the bridge at any moment. 

203 shoves a woman to her death before he makes it across, the remaining players in front of him having ran for their lives. 

He pants, grinning like the cat that got the cream as he watches the rest of you. You wouldn’t be surprised if he’s considering following in the footsteps of player 096’s dirty tactic. He seems more than happy to get others eliminated.

You stiffen. 

Halting so quickly you almost pull Daeho backward, it takes a moment for you to resume crossing, but your mind whirs a mile a minute. “They didn’t announce it,” you remark, loud enough for him to hear from ahead of you. 

Still, he lets out a confused noise, his uneven footsteps keeping you forging ahead. “What?”

“The eliminations,” you elaborate, “and 203 passing. They didn’t say anything.” You chance a look over at the timer to confirm it’s still counting down, but alarm sirens still flare in the back of your mind. Something’s not right. 

With the aisle cleared in front, Hyunju wastes no time. 

You hadn’t expected her to get on again, though in retrospect it was inevitable. From the very first day here she’d thrown herself back in the line of fire to rescue a stranger. Of course she’d do it for her friends. With your free hand, you reach out wildly, desperate to make contact as soon as possible. Her fingers interlock with yours, mostly to help pull the two of you across, but it makes your heart race nonetheless. Up until now, there was a fairly decent chance you never would’ve been able to again. 

Each step closer to the other side has your breath turning shallow, increasingly petrified the rope is going to swing back into action, cutting your hope and relief short. Hyunju’s intensely focused on the two of you, walking backwards on the narrow, uneven bridge with a certainty that can only come from rigorous physical training. 

On this side of the room, those who’ve already passed are murmuring amongst themselves in confusion at the disruption to the game. Behind, there’s only hurried arguments and the occasional horrible sound of someone falling. 

Without a speaker system, it’s hard for you to feel like you’re actually out of danger; there’s no confirmation that you’ve passed. But you don’t have time to dwell on it. Hyunju rushes past you the second your feet touch broader ground. Dazed, you watch as she catches Daeho the second his aching leg gives out and carries him through the smattering of players with her hands planted firmly under his armpits. Even as he protests, only now can you see just how pallid and clammy he’s grown over the past few minutes. His tumultuous crossing has taken everything out of him. 

Hyunju gets him to rest on the floor, propped up by the back wall. Immediately, she’s peeling his trouser leg up to look at the thick bandage that has flooded with red.

You go to step forward, but another loud thud makes everyone recoil and crouch low.

Like last time, there’s a dampened silence as everyone tries to place the source. More thudding, a sequence of three - no, four - smaller sounds of impact. While it may have benefitted you making it across, there’s something seriously wrong. 

A sharp panic lances through you as you turn back, stepping around the players who’ve jumped back into action again. Belatedly, you realise there was no way to verify who’d been killed without the overhead PA declaring it. It’s not long until you make out Geumja’s delicate frame, still on the starting platform with a couple of the more frightened players, but your pulse doesn’t slow down any less. If she had died without you even realising… 

You shake the thought away and send her a big wave to grab her attention. “Geumja,” you call out over the gaping crevice beneath you, “you have to come across! We can’t get to you if there’s other people in the way!”

The older woman startles, meets your gaze, and gives a shaky but determined nod. Bracing herself, she stands up from the bench and approaches the bridge. 

Geumja doesn’t even make it one step. Louder than anything that came before, a pop like a gunshot echoes brutally in the wide-open space, your ears ringing with it. A sharp sound follows, not a single beat but an extended, wrenching creak. 

The strange panel on the far wall, the one Gihun had been watching earlier, has a small white circle dotting close to the centre, and a spiderweb pattern of barely visible lines spreading out from it. You recognise it as broken glass and despite the depths that separate you from it, you recoil and curl in on yourself moments before the dam breaks.

Glass rains down towards the fallen players; ugly, glittering shards that splinter on impact, scattering across the floral-patterned ground. If not for the grim context, the way that shallow pool catches the light would be beautiful. 

It doesn’t take long for your attention to be pulled away, as your peripheral flags movement above.

“Who the fuck is that?” someone murmurs behind you.

In this moment, if you were given a hundred, a thousand guesses as to who was standing inside the exposed mezzanine, you wouldn’t even be close. The second you glance up, he already has his eyes on you, mouth dropped slightly the way yours must be, too. Even with the distance murking the details of his face, you’d recognise him anywhere.

Detective Hwang. 

The same voice behind you has already moved on. “Are we still getting our prize money?”

“Are you serious, man?”

“Hey, I killed to be here. Whatever this stunt is, they better not be fucking with us.”

The detective is clad all in black, with one of the guards’ rifles slung up against his shoulder in an almost casual manner at odds with your current situation. From below, you can’t see much of the room behind him, but it appears there’s no one else in there. Or, more likely, no one alive. He’s still frozen, uncharacteristically taken off-guard, and you’d be the same were it not for the reminder of your one friend yet to cross.

You break eye contact with him to check for Geumja. She’s stuck between two larger men, but has somehow managed to cross the central gap. Out of nowhere, your heart swells, feeling weirdly maternal despite the opposite age difference between you. My friends are so strong, you marvel with pride. 

Only a few players need to cross before she’s gingerly stepping over the finish line herself. You beeline for her, drawing her into a hug so tight she grumbles about her ribs, but returns it in full. “You made it,” you say, like announcing it aloud sets it in stone. Your lips quirk, and you pull back to raise your eyebrows. “What happened to ‘I’ve made my peace?’”

Geumja harrumphs, lifting her chin, though her eyes glitter in good humour. “I’m older and wiser now, dear.”

“Well, you’d better stay that way.” A new voice sounds out behind you. Hyunju steps up and draws Geumja into a brief but warm embrace herself. Relief has softened her features and eased the militaristic tension between her shoulders. Her voice, however, is stern. “Daeho told me you were trying to play martyr,” she accuses.

“That snitch,” the older woman curses. You could swear she actually looks a little embarrassed about it. It’s easy enough for her to change the subject as she points up at the detective, who is half leaned out of the shattered window, looking like he’s doing a head count. “Who’s that handsome man up there?”

“Geumja,” you drawl, “there is no way your eyesight is good enough to tell if he’s handsome or not. I can barely see his face.” You hold back the fact that you already know he is.

“I can sense it,” she defends, before something off to the side catches her attention. You follow her gaze. Leaning on the bench with his leg stretched out, Daeho cradles Junhee’s daughter, but that’s not the movement that drew her eye. To his left, players have somehow managed to force the door open to start streaming out. 

Hyunju places one hand on the small of your back and the other on Geumja’s shoulder, leading you across to Daeho. You notice now you’re past the waning crowd that Gihun’s beside him, watching the detective with a keen eye. 

It almost seems as if he recognises the man, though you suppose Gihun’s sported this same grim look this whole week, like nothing in here can surprise him. Without a word, Hwang cocks his chin towards the exit and turns tail. You can barely make out the top of a sliding door as it lets him out. Gihun sets his jaw. “We’ll have to be careful,” he instructs you three gruffly, giving the now-empty booth one more moment’s attention before turning back to you. “There are still guards out there, and we don’t know their orders. It’s possible the Frontman is still hidden away somewhere.”

“The who?” you ask blankly, even as you place your trust in him without hesitation. He still has the jacket twisted around his torso and over his shoulder, and he uses it again now to take Junhee’s daughter out of Daeho’s hands and into that makeshift sling. Your eyes threaten to tear up again at the soft smile that graces his worn-down face as she reaches her tiny fingers out to grab at him. In this hellscape, the newborn has found herself supported by three strangers who would do anything for her. Four, if you include yourself, though you still feel woefully out of depth and grateful that nobody’s expected you to take care of her yet.

Once she’s secure your small cohort form into a natural arrangement of Gihun at the front, you and Geumja in the middle, and Hyunju bringing up the rear with Daeho accepting her support. He’s stoic in the face of exhaustion, and yet again you admire his strength. 

“Look for purple,” Gihun commands, “that’s where those in charge are. That’s where he-” Gihun waves up towards the room Hwang vacated, “has left from, so we should be able to meet in the middle. But keep an eye out for the guards; we don’t have the luxury of arming ourselves this time.”

Some luxury it was, you want to quip, but you bite your tongue. Despite the lack of weapons, your chest feels lighter than the night of the attempted mutiny. Somehow you doubt you’ll be put back into the games if you fail again. Whatever Hwang’s doing here, you’re sure he’s taken out some heavy hitters already and besides, if he got himself in he can get you all out.

Only, as you leave the arena and enter those winding hallways, you see no sight of the other players at all. Whether they’ve formed their own troop or just gone every man for himself, they’ve not waited for you. 

You move in silence, save for Daeho’s occasional grunt and Hyunju’s whispers of encouragement. Geumja has her hand buried in the crook of your sleeve but her tight grip doesn’t conceal how much it’s shaking. You forgot to check where the timer was at before you left, but you wouldn’t be surprised if she’d spent at least five minutes on that bench, certain death awaited her. That hopelessness would’ve gotten to you, too.

You pray to whoever’s up there (except the shaman’s gods, who clearly paid her no favours) that your party of six won’t lose anyone else. The only one missing is Minsu, who must’ve just followed the crowd. As far as you know, at least, he made it across the bridge. Hopefully you’ll run into him again on your way out but perhaps that’s asking too much.

For a while, there’s nothing. You really have no real reference for the passage of time anymore but it does feel like you’ve been wandering the corridors aimlessly and fruitlessly for too long. At one point, the echo of a distant scuffle bounced off the tall walls and stairwells, but no gunshots followed before it faded as quickly as it came.

You haven’t come across a single door, either. Three or four times there’s a fork in the path that Gihun seems to ponder for a moment or two before choosing. Right, left, right, right. You can’t work out a rhyme or reason for it.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Geumja asks Gihun tentatively. He tilts his head back a little to indicate he’s listening but stays otherwise focused on the path ahead. “Now I don’t have as much experience in this place as you do, but it’s never taken us this long to get back to the dormitory after a game before.”

“We’re not going back to the dormitory.”

Geumja’s face is pinched, clearly thinking he missed her point. You send her a sympathetic smile, but don’t bother questioning him yourself. Whether he does have a good instinct for where you’re headed or he’s just hoping like hell, he’s not the most forthcoming individual. If nothing else, you know that he’s going to do everything he can to get you all out either way and that’s more than enough for you. After a moment, she sighs and changes tact. “How is the wee one?”

Gihun’s head dips and his hand comes up to cradle her more snugly. “Sleeping. What’s her name?”

“Any suggestions?” you counter lightly. “You have a kid, right?”

“Gayeong,” he says in confirmation. You don’t miss the way his voice softens with it. 

“So how did you decide her name?” Hyunju chips in. Almost as soon as the words leave her mouth, you hear the faint whistle of a sharp breath. No command is needed; all of you freeze in place, tensed up as you wait to see what it was she’d noticed. 

There’s a distinct crackle somewhere behind you, the fuzz of a radio broadcast. “Looking now, sir.” The guard is close enough that you can hear the swish of fabric as he walks, but too far to make out the words coming through the other end. You squeeze your eyes tightly shut to fight the urge to try sneaking a glance. The best thing you can do is to stay perfectly still and rely on Hyunju’s ability to gauge what you all should do. The guard lets out an irritated huff at whatever the speaker said but fixes his tone before he responds. “I don’t believe so, sir. We’ll maintain patrol until the CCTV is back online.”

You bite on the corner of your lip, grin tugging up. In all honesty, you’d forgotten about the cameras in the first place, and you would’ve been screwed if they were working. It explains why you’ve been undisturbed thus far. Beyond the clear advantage, however, it’s the inconvience this must be causing them that pleases you so much. The voice on the other end is still garbled to you but the annoyance comes through clear as day. 

Too focused on trying to make out the words, you don’t notice the crescendoing volume of the radio until a surprised shout interrupts it. 

“Shit,” Daeho murmurs under his breath, and you give up all attempts at holding still. 

“Sir, the players are-” behind you, a circle-masked guard holds his rifle out with one hand, the other fumbling for the record button. Hyunju steps to the front of your group, holding her arm in the silent instruction to stay back. The guard is clumsy trying to do two things at once, but you sense Hyunju’s reluctance to engage right away with the chance that he might get a proper grip on the gun and start firing. For now, however, his superior on the other end is still berating him, preventing the guard from transmitting anything. “I have the- Sir, stop pressing the- fuck’s sake!” 

Despite the adrenaline overload in your veins - or perhaps because of it - his panicked frustration makes you laugh. The mask jerks up as he presumably glares at you from behind it. The sound must prompt him into action, however, as he carelessly tosses the radio and sets both hands on his weapon. 

Your smile drops and you mentally curse the impulsivity. Ahead of you, Hyunju springs forward the moment the radio leaves his gloved hold, and you take her position standing sentry in front of the others. 

She’s on him before he’s even able to ready his grasp. Slightly off-centre, she latches onto the barrel of the gun with both hands. If you weren’t so intently focused on her, you’d miss all the nuanced dexterity she executes in a single moment.

The barrel is pushed to face the wall instead of her group. She pulls it away from the guard and uses the strap around his chest against him. The harsh tug yanks him and makes him stumble forward at the exact same time she’s driving it back again. The winded grunt as he doubles over makes you wince. 

“Start moving,” a gruff voice instructs from behind. As Hyunju uses the momentum to draw the guard off his feet entirely, you chance a look back. Gihun’s addressing the two slower members of your group, “she has it handled.” 

It’s as if Gihun already knows you’re not going anywhere. He doesn’t even attempt to convince you to follow. Instead, he just nods his head once at you and ushers the others away. Geumja turns to spare you a worried glance, but doesn’t protest. You know the three of them all trust her capability completely.

Turning back, Hyunju has already disarmed the underqualified guard. Instead of just taking him out, she’s got her foot on his chest, placing her weight on it as he holds his hands up in surrender. 

“How do we get out of this place?” she demands calmly. He flounders, still trying to plead with her instead, and her gaze flickers up to you, before it lands pointedly on the radio. Wordlessly, you pick it up and pocket it, coming to stand beside her. Hyunju returns her attention to the man beneath her. “I don’t like repeating myself.”

“I don’t know, I swear, this place is a fucking maze,” he whines. His hands tremble so strongly you almost feel bad for the guy. “I just got here yesterday. I’m telling you, I don’t know shit!” 

Hyunju lets out a slow sigh, controlling her frustration. “Of course,” she responds flatly. The two of you share a glance - the leader must have hired more foot soldiers after the fatalities of the rebellion. To your surprise, she passes the gun to you. “You remember?” she asks simply, referring to the function of the gun. 

Nervously, you duck your head to let the broad strap settle across your shoulder, hands sliding into place as she’d guided you the other day. “Yeah, actually,” you confirm in surprise. Your heart skips for a beat when she sends you a genuine smile, her eyes lighting up fondly. 

The moment is broken too soon. “Can I go?” the guard whines. “Ugh, this fuckass-” he cuts himelf off, impatiently tugging at the mask. It’s the first time you’ve seen a guard willingly show his face, and you wonder idly if he’s trying to humanise himself like people say you should do when you’re kidnapped. As he yanks the hood down and reveals his tear-streaked face, you have to admit it’s working.

“My name is Taehyun,” he starts, sniffing miserably, “I just did this for the money, honestly, please don’t kill me. I have a fish at home. Michael.”

“You named your fish Michael?” you ask in disbelief, but beside you Hyunju is clicking her tongue, stepping away to free him.

“We don’t have time for this,” she decides, deeming him useless. Ignoring his relieved rambling, she waves a hand at the mask he’d tossed carelessly beside him. “Put that back on. They’ll shoot you if they see you without it.”

Your heart warms at her mercy even as her authoritative presence spreads a different kind of heat through you. Done with the interaction, she leaves him on the ground and herds you away. 

The other three have made surprisingly good headway without you, and once you do finally catch up you’re pleased to see they’ve finally managed to track down the beginnings of the purple hallways Gihun had mentioned.

Geumja clutches at Hyunju the second she sees you approach from behind, and Daeho gives you a relieved smile. “Did she take him out with her bare hands or something?” he teases, still supporting himself against the wall as you approach a set of stairs leading up. 

“Or something,” you offer up vaguely, aware of Gihun well within earshot. As much as he’s been a dedicated advocate for the players to get out of here, with how intensely he’s grown to hate this establishment you’re not sure if he’d approve Hyunju letting the guard go or not. 

It seems he’s not focused on that anyway, as he darts ahead of the group to check what lies around the corner. The moment he reaches the top, however, he stiffens and sinks into a defensive position. 

You may not be anywhere close to Hyunju’s prowess, but as the only member of the group with a weapon, you ascend as quietly as you can, letting Hyunju hold back with the others. 

Just as you’re quickly running through how to set up and fire the gun, Gihun lets out a relieved breath and rushes down the hallway. You pick up your pace, not worrying about the sound of your footsteps anymore. Without looking, you know who it must be, but the tension in your shoulders still eases more when you set your eyes on Detective Hwang yourself. 

If there was any question in your mind that the two knew each other, it’s well and truly been answered. To your surprise, Gihun actually embraces the other man; a stiff yet meaningful pat on the back that the detective returns a little more energetically. You pull back far enough to send a thumbs up down to the others, waving them up. 

As you wait for them to join you, you shamelessly listen in on the strange reunion. They keep their voices low but not enough for you to miss it. 

“Gihun, I’m glad to see you,” the detective states with a strained smile, but his eyes keep dropping down. “Why do you have a child?”

“Where’s the team?” Gihun asks, cutting to the chase.

Hwang shakes his head, jaw tightening. “It’s just me.” At Gihun’s sigh, his expression softens. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. They removed your tracker,” the detective states in clear frustration. It doesn’t surprise you how intense he is about their apparent rescue mission. You’ve been on the receiving end of his determination for a year.

“News to me,” Gihun responds in deadpan sarcasm, his tongue pushing against the inside of his cheek. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s dead?”

Hwang takes a beat to respond, an unreadable tension in his eyes. “Yes,” he says at last. He shifts uncomfortably, and as he drops Gihun’s searching gaze he finds yours. An uneasy pit in your stomach opens up as he addresses you by your full legal name. “Thanks for the texts.”

You blink. “Oh.” It takes you a moment to work out what he even means before the car ride you’d been drugged on comes back to mind. You can barely recall what you’d even sent. His genuine tone fails to set you at ease. “Right.”

It’s Geumja that steps in, choosing to put aside her confusion. “I think we best leave this conversation for a later time. Are you here to help us leave, sir?”

“That’s right,” he confirms. 

“Well, let’s get a move on,” she instructs brusquely, though you don’t miss the undertone of relief in her voice. She grabs a hold of your upper arm, careful to avoid touching the gun. As Hwang turns to lead you back the way he came, you see the glossy handle of a pistol tucked in his waistband. Despite the alarm bells still ringing at the sight of the man who’s been tracking you down for months, you appreciate the thought of having another one of you armed. 

“Daeho,” Hyunju pipes up as you all automatically fall back into your previous order, “how are you holding up?”

“Fighting fit,” he claims, and when you turn to look back at him, you partially believe it. Despite the dark shadow beneath his bandage, it does seem like a second wave of adrenaline has taken his mind off the pain for now, and he’s able to keep up with the group a little easier. You just hope your way out of here isn’t going to be too much longer.

“There were of you,” Hwang points out shortly to Gihun as the two of them take the lead. 

“Show us the way out first,” Gihun insists. “We’ll get them out-” you can tell he’s referring to you and your friends, “and you can take them off the island while I go back for the others.”

“Wait,” you interrupt before you can help yourself, “we’re on an island?”

Gihun cuts you a terse look, not quite harsh enough to count as a glare, but you read between the lines easily enough. This is not a conversation you should be listening in on.

Feeling chastised, you pin that information to the side for now and fall back closer to Geumja. 

Immediately, she sends you a triumphant look. “I told you he was handsome.”

“I think the moral of the story is that Geumja is always right,” Daeho quips from behind you, to which the older woman immediately preens in agreement. “Gosh, can you believe it? We might really get out of here.”

“Don’t jinx it,” you worry, trying not to let hope fill you too much. How ironic, you muse, rescued by the very person who’s been trying to get you this whole time. It’s all well and good for the others to get away and somehow try and move on from all of this, but your future has now been set in stone. Death on an island or life in prison. You slow your pace again until you’re further from the detective and closer to Hyunju as if she’ll keep him at bay.

He keeps chancing looks back at you, you’ve noticed. Perhaps Hwang thinks he’s being subtle, but every time he chooses a side at the many forks in your path, he checks over the group and lets his eyes linger a little longer on you. Partially in denial, you stubbornly avoid his gaze.

Instead, you ponder where the other players are. You haven’t heard any gunshots so far, but this place seems large enough that you may just be too far away for the echoes to reach you. Had they somehow found a way out on their own, or were they hopelessly lost and aimlessly roaming around the labyrinthine complex? It seems a little ambitious for Gihun to come back here alone and track them all down. Your heart twists at the thought of Minsu being stuck in here while all of you get away. Minsu, who had been the most miserable of all of you this entire time. 

Too deep in your thoughts, you don’t notice the two men in front coming to a stop until you almost smack right into Gihun. Hwang is a few paces ahead, a baffled expression on his face as he consults the three-way crossroads ahead of him. You share a worried glance with Hyunju, and it’s only as you turn to her that you notice the colour change around you.

No longer are you surrounded by rich purple. The pink and yellow walls loom around you mockingly. You’re filled by the not-so-irrational fear that you’ve just gone in a futile loop. Maybe you put too much blind faith in Hwang. Maybe you’re the ones that have been wandering aimlessly. 

The detective has gone silent, eyes burning as he wracks his brain. You don’t envy him now. He has five people and a baby relying on his promise of freedom, and yet he seems to have taken a wrong turn somewhere. It’s not like there’s any signs or directions available to reroute.

As if to put him out of his misery, the brutal crack of a gunshot has the whole group buckling at the knees, crouched low and heart racing from the fright. 

Instinctively, you tighten your grip on the rifle at the exact same time Hwang’s hand reaches back to draw out his own weapon. He keeps the muzzle at an angle downward and tries to crane his neck to look down each path.

You jump again as another noise startles you. This time, the radio in your pocket is crackling to life. A deep modulated voice comes through and although it’s still grainy with the poor signal, as you fish it out you can discern what he’s saying. “I’ve located them in the loft. Requesting back-up. May be armed, I repeat, some may be armed.”

Hyunju shares a look with you, and you can practically see the cogs turning before she addresses Gihun. “If they are armed, we may have enough firepower amongst us to gain the upper hand. It depends on how quickly more guards will arrive. We have to-”

Gihun has no more patience to listen, or at least his urge to protect his fellow players overrides it. He pushes past and takes the leftmost path, getting only a few steps down before he stops clean in his tracks and remembers the baby in his care. 

Impatiently, he turns back and jogs right up to you, lifting the sling up and around his head with his other hand cradling Junhee’s daughter. His intention is clear, so obediently you remove your gun and awkwardly prop it against the wall to let Gihun help secure the makeshift carrier around your chest. In all honestly you’d much rather be holding a gun than a baby, but you make no complaint as he fearlessly returns to the left corridor and quickly disappears around the corner.

You stare down at her peaceful, ruddy-cheeked face. She’s heavier than you would’ve expected, and you quickly place your hand beneath to steady her a bit. The rest of the group moves down the way Gihun went, albeit with more vigilance, and as you begin to follow them you’re convinced she’s going to wake up and start crying. But whatever good fortune you have in here has given you the calmest baby you’ve ever met. It doesn’t take long before you begin to relax into your role and feel less like an imposter among your more experienced friends.

A second gunshot has Hwang tensing up and moving faster, breaking away from the group somewhat. Hyunju speeds up too, just enough to bridge the gap between you so you don’t take any more wrong turns. 

Your stomach roils at the thought of diving right back into danger especially now that you’re directly responsible for another life especially when the next interruption is a flurry of shots that overlap in quick succession. They sound much closer than before, and Junhee’s daughter fusses and wriggles in her hold. “You’re okay,” you try to soothe, but it just comes out stilted and not all that reassuring.

Even with their own disadvantages, Daeho and Geumja have both positioned themselves in front of you to provide a stronger barrier between the baby and the danger that lies ahead, but even as he faces away from you the sound of Daeho’s exhausted breaths reach you. Geumja has her hand on the back of his arm but is unable to bear any of his weight. It seems no matter how you arrange yourselves, you’re all just barely scraping by. Another injury, another burden and you don’t think you’ll all be able to make it out. That thought only fills you with more dread as the constricting hallway opens up to a wide open space. 

Gihun, Detective Hwang and Hyunju are all pressed up against a wall, crouching low behind a partition at the base of a flight of stairs leading past the entrance. You silently join them before tentatively peeking out.

Your breath catches. The people in the room are split into two factions. With their backs to you, three guards have their guns pointed straight across the blue-painted room to where a broad metal table has been knocked over to form a bullet-dented barricade. You can see the barest sliver of teal fabric poking out the side. It doesn’t look large enough to house all of the players that had split away, and indeed the no-man’s land between them is littered with six bodies, each in a spreading halo of red. Only one is a guard.

The reason for the players congregating here is immediately clear to you. 

Right in the centre of the room, bathed in gold light, lies the piggy bank. It’s full almost to the ears, but a broken shard on the belly has left a hole for a few bundles to escape and pile on the painted concrete. 

There’s an open entrance right behind the overturned table, a free ticket to potential escape, but none of the players seem willing to part with the piggy bank now that they’ve found it. It’s only as you’re looking closer that you see the table itself also has a decent amount of cash spilled ahead of it. It takes you a second longer to realise that cash represents you, all the players still alive after yesterday’s game. You wonder how much would’ve remained had the jump rope game not been interrupted. 

It’s actually not as much as you’d think but the confusion doesn’t last long. As you watch, a hand darts out from around an edge of the barricade. You tense up as a player stretches out close to the ground and uses a sweeping arm to scoop the closest bundles in behind the table. The guards a few paces in front of you react quickly and shoot at the player, but not quite quick enough. The shots ping on the floor and off the metal, and the stalemate resumes. 

Glancing back down towards the infant in your hold, you cross your fingers and carefully rock her, convinced that she’s going to wake up and start screaming her head off at any second. A sudden fear grips you at the threat of sound. The radio. It feels like you’ve had a bomb on you this whole time as you quickly scramble to pull it out and switch it off. The movement pulls Hyunju’s attention, and she stares wide-eyed at the radio, brows knitted together. She has an almost shameful expression, as if it’s her fault for not making sure it was off sooner. 

Before you can try and reassure her, however, the chaotic stomping of boots heralds the arrival of what seems to be four or five new guards. Hyunju crouches lower and turns to the other two informal leaders of the group. They silently confer whether to stay and help or resume the hunt for the exit. 

As far as you can tell, Detective Hwang seems firmly in the camp of leaving, and despite her emotional conflict Hyunju indicates the same. It’s Gihun who is as unmoving in his position as a rock. Personally, you feel every moment you stay here is just asking for trouble, but as you chance one more look into the room, your stance immediately flips.

Cowering behind the barricade, with a forehead so pale and slick with sweat that it reflects the golden light, a familiar face has spotted you tucked away in your hiding place. His eyes widen, and even from this distance you can see the pleading in them.

You draw back and turn to the others, pointing towards the room to silently state your wish to try and help. Hyunju frowns, shakes her head.