There in the doorway stood a vision of such exquisite beauty, that for a moment Robb thought that he must have died. That what he was seeing, was in fact the Maiden herself. But as she moved further into the room, Robb knew that not even the Maiden could come close to how (Y/n) appeared at the present moment. It was true to say that the young wolf always thought that the female kraken looked beautiful. Even when she had been running wild through the countryside, returning covered in mud, with tiny twigs and leaves in her hair from when she had been climbing trees. She looked beautiful. Even when she had fallen into a puddle after helping Rickon and Bran to catch frogs. She still looked beautiful. When she had been having hay fights with Jon in the stables, the pair looking as though they had been dragged along by wild horses, and both smelling of manure. She still looked beautiful. Robb sure that every time he looked at her, a little more of his heart was lost. Yet, as she and Arya came to a stop before his father and mother, the dark grey gown clinging to her every swell, dip, and curve. The heir to Winterfell knew that his heart now completely belonged to her.

"Is that.......is that really.........?"

"(Y/n)." Robb interrupted his brother's question. Both young men not sure what else to think or say as they watched their father embrace Arya and then (Y/n). The Lord Paramount of the North taking (Y/n)'s hand and turning her around slowly. The old wolf seemingly as amazed by (Y/n)'s appearance as his sons were.

"I told you that she'd be here. Trust (Y/n) to want to make an entrance. I knew that it was all nonsense when Sansa and Arya said that she wouldn't be coming." Theon sniffed. The Ironborn prince not seeming to notice or care about his younger sister's new appearance. His eyes trained instead, on a young woman in the far corner of the room, that blushed under the kraken's gaze.

Robb suddenly turned his eyes to Jon. Both of them straightening their clothes before they rushed over to where (Y/n) still stood talking to Ned and Catelyn. Both wanting to apologise for what they had said. The two inwardly smiling as they heard the Stark matriarch begin to praise (Y/n), for finally appearing in a gown and looking like the lady that Catelyn knew she could be.

"(Y/n)." Robb said again, as he and Jon came to a sudden stop behind her. (Y/n) turning and looking at the two of them. Her eyes not holding the warmth and happiness that they normally did. Both things replaced by a something cold and sad.

"My lord. Jon." (Y/n) replied coolly before she turned to Arya. Obviously not wanting anything to do with the two young men in front of her.

"Come Arya. I suppose that we should go and speak to Theon. That's if we can drag his attention away from the young lady over there." (Y/n) told the youngest she wolf. Offering her arm to Arya. The two making their way through the crowd. Robb wanting to chase after her. Wanting to apologise. But as he moved to make his own way through the crowd, he found his arm caught by Jon.

"Jon let me go. I have to go and talk to her. I have to explain." Robb said, trying to pull his arm from Jon's grasp.

"I know, Robb. But I have to tell you something first. I think that you need to know this. I know that I should have told you earlier. That despite what I promised (Y/n), I should have said something before. And now, seeing her like this, I realise that I can't keep it from you any longer. That even if (Y/n) never talks to me again, I have to tell you." Jon replied. Robb furrowing his brows at his brother's strange words, but still allowing the young Snow to lead him out of the main hall and into a quiet corner.

                                                              >>--------------------------<<

"She does!?" Robb asked in disbelief as Jon finished telling Robb, (Y/n)'s little secret.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Robb added. Now even more determined to go and find the Ironborn princess and apologise for what she had overheard. So that he could tell her what he had really meant by his words.

"I told you. I swore to (Y/n) that I wouldn't. She said that I was the only one that she could trust. (Y/n) always said that even though she was born a princess, she knew that she would never be able to tell you how she felt. That you were destined to one day be the lord of the north, but she would always be the daughter of a traitor. A prisoner that had become a ward. That one day you would marry a lady from an equally great House, and never pay her another thought. She does love you, Robb. She always has. Its just that she knows that you will one day rule, but she will always just be the girl that likes climbing trees, hunting frogs, and being covered in mud." Jon explained. Looking up at Robb, as he got to his feet.

"Are......are you going to find her?" Jon asked. Confused as Robb smiled and lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Yes Jon, I am. And when I find her, I'm going to tell her that I don't want a lady from a great House that knows nothing of the fun of climbing trees. That doesn't know how to catch frogs or get covered in mud. That I don't want a lady that doesn't enjoy a hay fight or won't run, almost naked through the snow, just to prove her brother wrong. I am going to tell her that I want a woman that talks about a sea that she can't even remember. A woman that wants to feel the wind in her hair and sea spray on her cheeks as she captains her own ship. I am going to tell her that I want her." Robb replied. Smiling at Jon before he raced off to find (Y/n).

                                                            >>-------------------------------<<

(Y/n) sat quietly, out on the battlements of one of the towers. Her eyes looking over the quiet, dark world beyond the great castle. People had been complimenting her all evening. Saying how beautiful and ladylike she looked. How she should be seen like that more often. Even Theon saying that she looked prettier than he thought possible. Yet, as much as she had smiled and nodded. As much as she had had enjoyed the flattery of the young men that had been attending her brother's name day celebrations. It was as if they had all been saying those kind things to someone else. Someone that she didn't want to be. She had hated being in the tight grip of the gown. If it hadn't been for Arya and Sansa assuring her that she would be fine, (Y/n) would have raced back to her room to change into her usual clothes. To become the person that she really was.

Even though she hadn't wanted to talk to Robb, she had missed seeing him. She had felt hurt that he didn't seem to notice how she looked. How she had not had the chance to tell him, that she had done all this to prove him, in particular, wrong about her. How he had disappear with Jon. Both of them probably off trying to find a young lady that would care to enjoy their company for the rest of the evening, as Theon had done. The thought of Robb alone with another, making (Y/n)'s heart hurt more than she ever thought possible.

Suddenly (Y/n) jumped to her feet. Her hand finding the small knife that she had placed in the belt. The young kraken cutting and slashing at the material that covered her. Never again would she wear the dress. Nor any other gown. Never again would she pretend to be anything that she wasn't. She would remain the wild creature that would rather fight than sew. A girl that loved finding herself waist deep in large puddles, with frogs sat happily croaking on her head, after she had accidentally fallen in. A girl that laughed wickedly as she threw shovels full of green manure at Jon and ducked out of his way when he threw it back. Never again would she be anything other than what she was. An Ironborn.

"That is such a shame. It did suit you. But you looked no more beautiful than you always do." A voice came. (Y/n) turning to see Robb make his way over to her. His hand reaching out and pulling on the shredded material.

"What do you want? Aren't you off trying to find yourself a lady? I know that's what you want. Not something like me." (Y/n) hissed, as she pulled the material from Robb's hand and tried to push past him. Robb taking her shoulders and holding her fast.

"I have already found the only woman that I will ever want. The only one that I have ever wanted. It is just that we were both too stupid to tell one another how much we cared, before this moment. When I said all those things that you heard, I did it because I believed that you would never want someone like me. That I wasn't wild and free enough for you. That one day, you would leave and find yourself an Ironborn man, that would take you sailing over the seas. But now I need to tell you that I love you (Y/n). That I have loved you for so long. That you don't need to wear gowns and act like a lady. I like you just the way you are. And I want you to be mine." Robb explained, as he pulled (Y/n) into his arms and held her close.

"You......you love me? But I though.......I.........I thought that you.......I love you too, Robb." (Y/n) hesitantly replied. Her eyes fluttering shut as his lips finally met hers. His fingers combing through her hair as they pulled one another ever closer.

"Now, what do you say to you changing into something a little more appropriate and showing me how you fight with Jon in the hay barn." Robb chuckled, as (Y/n) smiled up at him.

"Deal. But don't complain when you lose and end up with a mouthful of manure." (Y/n) laughed, as she took him by the hand and led him to her rooms. The wolf and the kraken knowing that from now on, neither of them would ever judge a book by its cover again.