Your father was a lower nobleman and close confidante of Lord Eddard Stark, meaning you were raised within Winterfell and treated almost like a princess due to the closeness of your family, regardless of the sizeable status gap. You were a few months younger than the oldest Stark child, Robb and had become best friends and grew up together. He was always there to protect you, granted he was the one that usually caused you the most problems but either way, you were as close as two people could be platonically.

It was a perfect friendship and you were able to tell each other everything, even now that you were young adults and moving on in the world to live your own lives.

Robb was expected to marry another noble, a political marriage to assist him in his future and the future of the north; you on the other hand could marry a man of a lesser status that would just offer you a comfortable life, regardless of love. You had been lucky though. You had met Josef when you were a teen, unknown to you that you would quickly fall in love with him. His parents and yours had been friends for a while and you were only a couple of years younger than him. Both sets of parents were glad to see the relationship between you blooming.

You fell head over heels for the man and although you could tell that Robb wasn't a fan of him, you still loved him. You did your best to avoid conversation with your best friend about the man you loved but as you liked the honest and open friendship, it could be hard to avoid.

It was somewhat clear to you why Robb didn't like Josef. Josef was a stern man, liking things his way and could be rather controlling, always having an opinion (that always outweighed your own) about what you did, what you wore or who you spoke to.

He didn't care for Robb and if he wasn't the son of the Lord of Winterfell, you were certain that he would have forced your friendship to end but there was a political advantage to the friendship.

Even though he did things you weren't fully a fan of, you couldn't help the infatuation. He was handsome and brave and could offer you a good future; the only thing you could think of was how it could have been a far worse relationship.

~*~

Written by Charlotte.