'⌁ ◜DANCE OF THE DRAGON◞
CHAPTER 001     ,  runt of the litter  .

˖ ࣪ ꒷PRINCESS MAELORA TORUK ׅ𖥔 ۫
298 years after conquest     , winterfell .

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

945 miles away from Elrin Springs ,

            THE COLD , northerner air nipped at maelora's cheeks , making her blow into her frosty hands in order to warm them up . she looked over at her little sister, viseraya, visibly annoyed by her presence . maelora stuck her foot out and rammed it into her shin , "ow , lora !" viseraya yelped .

            their mother , haela , watched as the two continued fighting , growing more agitated as the yelling got louder . "enough !" she snapped , "can't i get through the day without the two of you bickering with each other ?"

            the two of them pulled away , glaring at one another . maelora's attention gave out as she noticed the carriage pass between a large , cobblestone archway . a smile formed on her face as it came to a stop .

            she eagerly lept out of the carriage , an icy wind blowing against her skin as she spotted arya with her brothers at the archery range . "mae!" she excitedly called out , shoving her bow in lord stark's ward's hand. maelora opened her arms as she sprinted toward her , embracing the young girl in a warm hug . it was clear that arya wasted no time in being the first person to greet her , "gods be good , look how big you are !" maelora laughed .

            maelora stepped aside , clearing a pathway for her mother and sister to get out as arya clung onto her . ser byran dayne , known as the victor of the restoration and retaking of lanner's lakeside from the natives of the elaehra oaks , was the first to exit the carriage , holding out a hand for the spring queen and guided her down the ridged step ladder as viseraya followed behind her . maelora waved at sansa , who seemed anxious by the sudden crowd of people . viseraya distracted arya from maelora , giving her time to get away .

she brushed her dress down to rid the crinkles , shocked and stumbling back once she noticed that she had almost bumped into someone in front of her , "i see you've already been welcomed by arya ." he smiled . "fortunately , but i see she's not the only youngling to say hello ; it's been two years and you still look like a little child , robb ! " she cheerfully laughed , "it's good to see you again , princess ." he chuckled . maelora looked back , smiling as everybody greeted her sister and mother .

she caught a glimpse of another familiar face out the corner of her eye , making her body turn , "my word , is that the jon snow ?" she hummed , casting a small grin on his face. he lowered his head , "my lady ,"

"what is it that you have been doing lately ? attending more choir lessons ?" maelora teased , "fortunately not , i've now climbed the rankings from the traditional servant to the traditional horse manure cleaner ." jon quietly joked .

jon snow was lord stark's bastard son . he and maelora always had a close bond with each other , though , she never really thought of him in any other way.

a gentle hand brushed against maelora's arm , causing her to turn around in a way to greet the figure . she lit up, smiling as lady stark held her hand , little rickon clinging to her neck as she held him , "what a pleasure it is to see you again , princess ." maelora did a slight curtesy before facing her again , "my lady ."

she spotted bran aimlessly waving his bow in the air , puzzled and frustrated . catelyn glanced at him , letting out a sigh as she looked back at her , "it's been weeks , i don't see why ned keeps forcing him to do it . it's clearly not the boy's strong suit ." she spoke . "forgive me , my lady , i'll be just a moment ." she reassured . maelora carefully approached him , her hand touching his back to alarm him that she was behind him , "would you like any help with that ?" maelora offered , taken back by his round , brown eyes gazing at her. he nodded his head sheepishly , drawing it back across his body as he awaited for her critique .

maelora readjusted his arm , moving it so that the bow sat higher up . she stood back , giving him a nod as he let the arrow fly . the sound of the steel hitting the board rung through the air as bran cheered at his achievement , looking back at Maelora and placing his bow down , hugging her.

maelora flashed a smile at catelyn , her eyes trailing over to jon and ned as they whispered to each other. robb approached the two , attracting the attention of Bran, who soon let go of her dress. "everyone around here still seem to be waiting on something else to happen , or someone , mayhaps ." maelora instigated , her words provoked by the sudden moving of food items from one room to another , chairs being collected , and the guards being more 'on their feet' than usual . she narrowed her eyes , "the king's coming , isn't he ? followed by those shameful , bottom feeder lannisters ." she concluded , receiving a firm head nod by robb .

"how divine ." she sarcastically muttered under her breath , rolling her eyes . he grinned , turning to face his father , who was now proceeding towards him . maelora confusingly stared at their whispering , his face dropping as he looked at bran . ned's false smile thrown at her threw her off , "good morrow , my lady , i must have my son , bran , for a moment ." he stated , pulling bran away from her side .

she stood up straighter as ned clung onto bran's arm , muttering . bran looked at maelora again before responding to his father . ned shook his head , glancing at her . maelora watched as the two went back and forth , looking over at jon , who was already staring at her .

lord stark seemed annoyed as he walked over to maelora again , stringing bran along beside him . "i would hate to ask you this , princess ," he began , soon explaining the reasoning behind their secrecy and sudden murmuring . "my lord , i couldn't —" she declined , being cut off by the pleading look on bran's face.

she shut her eyes and exhaled heavily, knowing that she will regret her decision later on . she looked back at him , smiling as she nodded her head , "of course , my lord . my duties are to serve those of the realm , after all ."

⎯⎯⎯⎯

            HER BODY temperature returned back to normal as she readjusted the fur coat around her , riding her horse with ease as bran held onto her sides for support . "is it true that you have a pet dragon ?" he asked , "we don't classify our dragons as pets , only war heroes . you see , 170 years ago , king aegar ii and his dragon , alymys , helped win house toruk the battle of the vale and achieved elrin springs more land space and more allies . to say that dragons are 'pets' is a declaration of war in the meadlands ." maelora breathed , "but yes , i have a dragon . his name is aemon , named after my father." she stated.

            a grin formed in the crevices of his lips, "can it breathe fire ?" maelora nodded her head , overjoyed at his sudden interest in her life . "my sister has one as well ." she added, "nearmor ."

            bran's grip around her torso grew tighter as they climbed a hill , "i wish i had one ." he mumbled , "where is it now ?"

            "at home , waiting for me to return ." she replied . her stomach began to churn as they turned a corner , noticing two stone pieces with a log wedged between them, as well as multiple guards standing in its presence waving the house stark flag .

            maelora's horse came to a halt , dismounting off of it with the help of ser byran dayne , who had came with the request to protect the princess from her mother . she helped bran down , witnessing the scene , and turned to her in guilt . she immediately knew what he was thinking , and was quick to guide him over to the set up .

            he held her hand as they stopped in place , watching as a two of the guards brought a wailing man and standing him in front of the log . ned approached him , guilt-ridden . the man looked to him , already accepting his fate as he began speaking , "i know i broke my oath , and i know that i'm a deserter ," he said .

            his words gave maelora the idea that he was a night's watchman , glancing at bran as he went on , "i should have gone back to the wall and warn them , but .." the man took a moment of silence , looking ned up and down , "i saw what i saw. i saw white walkers ."

            the sentence sent a shiver down maelora's spine , making her breathe heavily . everybody else seemed to have been feeling the crippling air the same way , "people need to know ." the man croaked .

            the fumbling noise of the flag blowing against the wind filled the silent air , "if you get word to my family , tell them I am a coward . and that i'm sorry ."

            maelora glanced at theon , lord stark's ward , receiving a glare back . he pulled away , looking back at the deserter . ned nodded his head , stepping back as the guards forced the man to his knees . jon walked forwards , brushing his shoulder against maelora's as he stood behind bran .

            ned held the sword in front of him , heaving as the tip of it laid against the ground , muttering a few words under his breath . "don't look away ," jon began , making bran's head turn at the sudden sound of his words , "father will know if you do ."

            she hated that he had to see something as grim and violent as this , but maelora knew it wasn't her place to say anything , she was just there in support of bran and to serve out his request .

            the sound of lord stark's sword lifting over his head and cutting through flesh made her eyes slam shut , squeezing bran's hand tighter as he flinched at the scene . she almost gagged as she heard the deserter's head bounce on the ground .

            she pried open her eyes , looking down at him , trying to ignore the sight in front of her . "you did good ." jon uttered , walking away . maelora breathed a sigh of relief , happy that it was finally over . she pulled bran away and averted his eyes , taking him back to the horses .

ned approached the two of them , causing maelora to back away in a chance to give them privacy . ned approved of her action in a firm head nod , looking back at bran in front of him .

⎯⎯⎯⎯

MAELORA'S FACE twisted in disgust as they rode past a dead deer , its guts spilling from its mouth , flys swarming around as maggots feasted on it . she covered her mouth , sick from the amount of death she'd seen today .

"are you alright , princess ?" ser byran asked , "could we stop , please ?" she replied , moving her hand down to her stomach . the horses came to a stop just as maelora asked and slid off of it , stumbling over to a bushy area . she leaned against a tree , feeling her head .

leaves crunched behind her as robb rested a gentle hand on her shoulder . just as he opened his mouth to say something , they heard a loud bark coming from the river bank . confused , they looked at each other , then behind them to see if anybody else heard it.

ned shifted off his horse , approaching the noise as the others followed behind . maelora pushed away her nauseous feeling once they turned the corner to see a pack of direwolf cubs , mourning over their decaying mother's corpse , her heart aching at the scene .

jon kneeled down next to ned , analysing the scene as the babies whimpered and whined . jon turned his head towards maelora , noticing a sudden look of sadness on her face .

ned glared at his advisors across from him , pulling the broken antler out from its throat . "there are no dire wolves south of the wall ." robb stated , "now there are five ." jon breathed , standing up as he held one of the cubs in his arm . "did you want to hold it ?" he asked , facing bran this time .

jon slipped it into his hands , making the pup squirm around . theon glanced at ned for his opinion , "where are they going to go ? their mother is dead ." bran questioned . "they don't belong down here ." an advisor shook his head , "let it be a quick death , they won't last without their mother ." ned agreed , moving out the way as theon pulled a dagger from his side .

"right , give it here !" theon snatched the cub from bran's hands , making him shout out a firm "no !"

"put away the blade ." maelora spoke up , putting a hand on bran's shoulders . theon seemed taken back by her outburst , "i take orders from lord stark , not a woman ." he laughed . jon gave him a harsh glare , his face dropping instantly .

bran's head turned , "please , father !" he desperately called out . ned looked at him with shame , "i'm sorry , bran ." he was quickly cut off by Jon again , "lord stark ,"

he had ned's full attention , "there are five pups here . one for each of the Stark children ." jon mentioned , "the direwolf is a sigil of your house , they were meant to have them ." a silence grew as they waited for his response .

ned sighed , knowing he'll never hear the end of it , "you'll train them yourselves , you'll feed them yourselves , and if they die , you'll bury them yourselves ." theon disappointingly put his knife away , handing the cub back to bran . the others made their way back to the horses as robb , theon , and maelora helped carry a few of them back.

"what about you?" bran pitifully asked . jon looked at maelora , then at his half brother , "i'm not a stark , now get on ."

the dirt squished between her boots , stopping in place again once she heard more whining . jon glanced at her again , then at the river bank beside him . rob turned at the sound , "what is it ?"

maelora stroked the cub that she had in her hand , letting out a chuckle as jon pulled out another pup , this one smaller , and behind one of the trees . jon looked at it , confused . "runt of the litter ," robb smiled , "that one's yours , snow ." theon suggested . jon glared at him again , then at maelora .

the two of them turned around , continuing on the trail back up to the horses . she flashed a grin at him , "runt of the litter !" she mimicked robb , laughing as he rolled his eyes. "shut up ," flustered , he brushed past her.

she followed behind him , "at least i have a direwolf ." he teased , "aye , who has the dragon , though ?" she quickly shot back , giving him a small wink . the corner of his mouth finally shifted into a smile as he looked down , shaking his head .