Robb Stark had treated Giana better than she knew her father would treat any Stark hostage. That wasn't to say it was a pleasant experience being a hostage of the Starks. After Renan Snow had kidnapped her and her son Leo, the ride back to Riverrun to meet the retreating Northern army had been more gruelling than any journey Giana had taken in her life. Snow insisted that they rode all day and half the night to get away from any rescuers coming after her, and with autumn coming along the nights were getting colder and colder. That didn't seem to bother the Northmen, but Giana spent a lot of time shivering, hungry and sore from riding.

Her heart had almost leapt out of her chest, however, when a hulking dark shape slinked out of the trees when they made camp one night. Upon seeing it was a monstrously large wolf, Giana screamed, jumping up and pulling Leo behind her as she backed away. The great black beast eyed her for a long moment with narrow eyes, then seemed to grow disdainful, turning to Ren who now stood beside it.

"It's alright, my lady," He said, smiling at the monster and ruffling a hand through its fur. "This is Crow. He's with us, although I thought he'd stay with his pack,"

"Pack?" Giana asked faintly, eyes wide, unable look away from the creature. She had heard that the Starks rode into battle with direwolves, but hadn't believed the stories, and never thought the wolves would be this big.

"Each of us with Stark blood have one," He explained. "Robb has Grey Wind. He's as tall as Crow but more powerfully built. Lady and Nymeria belong to Sansa and Arya. Ghost is with Jon Snow at the Wall, whilst Summer and Shaggydog..."

He trailed off, eyes darkening, and Giana realised those two must have belonged to the Stark boys murdered at Winterfell by the Greyjoys.

"Is he... dangerous?"

All the men chuckled at that, amused at her fear, though they also eyed the wolf with some level of apprehension, which did not help.

"Very," Came Ren's reply.

"They fight in battle, milady," One man said. "Brutal killers the lot of them, though this one's especially vicious. Lord Robb's wolf might be bigger, Snow, but yours scares me more,"

Ren grinned at that, and it seemed like Crow did too.

"Nymeria's almost as bad," Another added. "As wild as little Arya, and ten times as vicious. Saw her shake a man like a terrier would a rat when we fought at the Crag,"

Giana tried to imagine what it would be like being a common soldier armed with a sword and boiled leather armour with one of those monsters bearing down on you. She shuddered, even as her son began asking Ren a stream of questions about the beast. It was times like this when she thanked her lucky stars for being born a woman. She would never have to ride into battle.

"Jaime's at Riverrun, is he not?" She asked Ren as she rode behind him one morning. "You captured him at the Whispering Wood?"

"We fought at the Whispering Wood," The young knight granted. "He was making a beeline for Robb, so I got in the way. He could've killed me if he wanted,"

"But he didn't want to," She said his unspoken words.

"He was done for either way," He said. "Killing his squire of five years, a nephew of the Lord of Winterfell, purely out of spite would hardly achieve anything other than hatred from his captors. Further hatred, anyway,"

"Is that what you told anyone asking too many questions?"

"Yes," Came the flat reply, though she saw his lips twitch slightly.

They arrived at Riverrun to find it held by a garrison officially in the charge of Edmure Tully but actually led by his uncle, Brynden Blackfish. Lord Hoster was bedridden, dying; Giana felt for both Lady Catelyn Stark and Lysa Arryn, who were both unlikely to see their father alive again. She was given a plain but comfortable room high up in the castle, with a sheer drop from the window and two guards to follow her wherever she went. It seemed a bit much; she was a highborn lady, how much damage could she do? Not to mention the fact that even if she was stupid enough to escape, there was no chance she would get through the Riverlands alive, let alone with a young child.

The castle was rather empty at first, but within days of their arrival came a party of Freys from the Twins, bringing with them Lady Marianne, who Giana soon learned was to be Robb Stark's bride, selected personally by his Aunt Rosennis.

She was rather puzzled as to why the woman had picked this girl; whilst Marianne wasn't as plain as many of her relatives, and had nice eyes, she couldn't really be considered pretty. She was as skinny as a boy at the age of fifteen and stood at just under five feet tall, not to mention her own mother had died in childbirth; the girl herself had barely survived, being born weak and tiny. The only advantage Giana could see was that she was Ser Stevron's granddaughter and therefore part of the main branch of Freys.

What was also odd was that preparations for the wedding seemed well underway. As far as Giana knew, Robb Stark was at the Crag pushing deeper into the Westerlands whilst her father chased after him, a situation that would likely end up disastrous for the Northern army. She couldn't have been more wrong, however, after voicing her confusion to Ren.

"That was the plan, my lady," He said. "To draw your father into the Westerlands and then quickly retreat to hold the Riverlands border. All reports I've got say that the plan worked. Lord Tywin is now trapped and we are at a stalemate on the border with the west, but at least that's kept him away from King's Landing. Stannis is now free to take the city,"

Tyrion was in King's Landing, along with Cersei and her sons. The idea of Tommen or Tyrion being killed in such a way made her feel sick to the stomach with worry and fear. And whilst she disliked the woman intensely, unlike Cersei she would never want her sister dead. Even Joffrey didn't deserve his head stuck on a pike by Stannis. At least Myrcella was in Dorne. Not safe - the Martells hated anyone who bore the name Lannister - but less of a certain death sentence.

"Under different circumstances, if you weren't a bastard," She said to the young knight. "You'd have been my father's pride and joy. His last hope for the legacy of House Lannister. Gods only know we've all been disappointments,"

Ren didn't seem to know how to take that.

"I believe the only four words Tywin Lannister has ever spoken to me is 'take my horse, boy', on a visit to King's Landing,"

"That sounds about right. I would like to see the two of you meet," Giana considered. "It would be amusing to for him to find out that after all this time begging Jaime to leave the Kingsguard, take a wife and have lots of heirs, he has a strong, capable grandson from two great houses..."

"It would be amusing until the Northern army finds out and starts calling me the Kingslayer's bastard, and my mother a traitor who sleeps with the enemy,"

"Oh I wouldn't actually tell anyone anything," She said with a laugh. "But the look on his face would be worth all the gold in Casterly Rock,"

Though she was followed day and night by her guards, Giana was allowed freedom of the castle. She was even allowed to see Jaime, providing she was thoroughly searched by a handmaid beforehand to make sure she wasn't sneaking him anything useful.

The first time she saw her brother in that awful dungeon, she felt like weeping.

Apparently Jaime had been kept in a clean tower cell befitting his station, until he killed several men trying to escape. Thus, he had been thrown in a dark cell deep under the castle, where river water seeped down the walls and rats scurried around the filthy floor. The smell was horrendous - mould, sewage and death - and aside from the lantern that the gaoler carried, the darkness was oppressive.

"Oh gods," She raised a hand to cover her mouth as the gaoler unlocked the door rather gleefully, shining the lantern inside.

The huddled figure in the corner flung up a hand at the sudden light, curses spilling from his lips.

"What is it now?" He rasped, squinting up at the door, clearly still unable to see. "Has young Robb finally seen fit to take off my head like Joffrey took his father's?"

That tongue would be the death of him one day.

"Jaime!" Giana hurried forwards into the room, uncaring of the filthy layer of rotten straw that dirtied her slippers.

His head snapped up at once.

"Giana? What in the seven hells are you doing here?"

There was a rare note of alarm in his voice as she dropped to her knees beside him. The ground was damp beneath her knees.

"Careful in there, milady," One of her guards still at the door chortled. "That one's known for sister-fucking,"

She normally got along with the man, but clearly he held no love for her brother.

"Just the one sister," Jaime said lightly, a hint of warning in his tone and sharp smile.

"It's alright, Kingslayer," The other guard laughed. "If my sister looked like yours, I'd fuck her too,"

She knew she didn't like that one.

"Let us know if you need rescuing, milady,"

"Maybe she doesn't mind," The other sneered. "Bit too eager to see him, wasn't she? Always knew the Lannisters were twisted bastards. All that gold must addle the senses,"

"If you get sick of the Kingslayer, milady, my arms are open and waiting," Someone, possibly the gaoler, leered.

"I'll bear that in mind," Giana shot a sickly sweet smile over her shoulder that she wasn't sure they knew was sarcastic.

It was enough to set the men off jeering, but they did pull the door closed, thankfully.

"Bastards," Jaime rasped. "The day I get out of here, I'm going to gut every one of them,"

"That's what landed you here in the first place," She said. "I heard the story,"

"I'd rather try and fail than sit idle," He shrugged. "Now tell me, why in hells are you here?"

"Your son," She smiled weakly.

"Joffrey?" He frowned. "That little shit didn't send you here, did he?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "Not Joffrey. Renan,"

"Ah," Jaime grimaced. "You know, then. Is it that obvious?"

"Only to those who are looking," She said. "Honestly he reminds me more of Father than you,"

"Don't say that," He pulled a face. "Did Robb Stark capture the Banefort then?"

"No," She sat back against the wall beside him, ignoring the dampness and lichen. "They made it to the Crag. Ren took half a dozen men up the coast and broke into the castle to kidnap me and Leo,"

Jaime laughed dryly, shaking his head.

"Of course he did," He said. "Oh, I bet Father's blood was boiling. I'm not best pleased either. Are they treating you well?"

"Better than they treat you," She shrugged. "I've got freedom of the castle and a nice enough chamber, though I have an escort everywhere,"

A pause.

"Stannis took King's Landing," She blurted out. "They got word of it today. Father was too busy chasing Robb Stark to defend it, and by the time he realised what was going on, the Starks had cut him off. He's trapped in the west," She could tell what her brother wanted to ask. "Cersei escaped with the boys. Myrcella is safe in Dorne. But Tyrion is still there, I heard he was injured during the battle,"

"Gods," Jaime leant his head against the wall. "The others will be caught before long. Either that or die in the woods. Can you imagine Cersei and Joffrey roughing it across the kingdoms during wartime?"

"It was bad enough doing it with Ren and his men," She said. "Tommen has a good head on his shoulders, though,"

"Tommen also has no experience of life outside the Red Keep save the odd hunting trip," He grimaced. "He's also travelling with two of the most hated people in the kingdom,"

Another silence. Here they were, at the heart of their enemy's castle, their father trapped, the rest of the family scattered, their fates uncertain. Lady Bolton and Renan Snow didn't want them dead, but the rest of the North and Riverlands were another matter entirely.

"Jaime, what do we do?" Her voice was small as she asked her big brother for any comfort at all.

He sighed. "I'd place an arm around you if I wasn't manacled hand and foot," He rattled the heavy iron chains. "Lean against me,"

She did so, his shoulder considerable more bony that it had been when she last saw him. The silence dragged on, but Giana didn't ask again, knowing he knew as little as she did.

*

Giana was not directly informed of the goings on of the war, of course, but even she could not fail to notice the outrage that ran through the castle when the rider came from King's Landing.

"The Baratheons have turned their cloak," She heard a guard saying angrily in the courtyard.

"That bastard Loreon Storm was always half Lannister," Another spat. "I bet this was his plan all along - kill Stannis then give the throne to Lord Tywin and his incest-spawn,"

Stannis was dead? This was the first Giana was hearing of it.

"He wouldn't have waited for Stannis to break the city, though, would he?" Another more reasonable man said. "He'd have killed him before Cersei and Joffrey were forced to flee,"

No one really have a reply to that, but people grumbled nonetheless.

"Yes, Stannis is dead," Ren informed her after she went to his chambers. "Poisoned at his own wedding to Margaery Tyrell, likely by your family, though no one's pointing any fingers yet. Loreon has acted fast and tried to secure Shireen's throne by offering to marry her to Joffrey, so I doubt they'll ever pay for it. Supposedly that was the best option he had,"

The look of disgust on his face showed exactly what he thought of that plan, but Giana felt like she could breathe a sigh of relief. If these terms were successful then her family and her son's family would no longer be at war. It was the best possible outcome, really, even though poor little Shireen would have to put up with being married to Joffrey.

"And where is the North's place in all this?" She asked.

Ren looked at her. "I don't know. Robb doesn't either. His army is still holding the border in a stalemate with your father but he's coming back to Riverrun personally to marry that Frey girl. In the meantime, I'm to head to King's Landing to try and twist this in our favour,"

"Why you?" Giana asked, wincing at his raised eyebrow and trying to remember that it was not her father she was staring down.

"Everyone else is too important to risk," He replied. "But I have Stark blood and proved myself in battle and war council meetings, so it's not so much of an insult,"

"Perhaps not," She agreed. "Although Loreon will certainly find it insulting if you don't bring me to King's Landing with you. You'll want to be in his favour if you hope to gain something for the Starks out of all this,"

"You're right," Ren grimaced. "I don't see the problem with giving you to Loreon, seeing as it's not surrendering a Lannister hostage to the Lannisters. Robb will want to hear of this, though, so we'll have to wait until he returns,"

Robb Stark arrived at Riverrun some days later with a small escort of half a hundred men. Giana scarcely saw the young lord, choosing to stay out of his way and spend her time with Jaime and her son.

Leo was coping with their situation well, adapting as any child did and seeing it as a great adventure. He had grown to idolise Renan Snow after the knight let him steer his horse on the journey to Riverrun, and often trailed round the practice yard after him asking to spar. When Ren had time, he often indulged the child, not beating him right away and even letting him get a few hits in, much to the amusement of his peers.

"You're getting sloppy, Snow," Another young man, from some Northern house, called out. "You beat the Kingslayer in single combat and now let the man's baby nephew hit you around,"

Leo had both beamed with pride and bristled at being called a baby.

Jaime, on the other hand, was stuck in a pit of a dungeon, so she went to see him as much as possible, often bringing food with her. It was sad, the way he'd tear into whatever she brought like a starving man, which judging by the way his muscles had wasted away, he was.

It was after one such visit that Giana passed Ren on her way back up to the courtyard. Curious as to why he was down there - she had never seen him visit Jaime before - she made as though she was going to continue on her way but doubled back after him, lingering outside the door in the darkness, glad that the gaoler was absent. She could just make out their voices behind the thick door.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Jaime said, his voice less hoarse after her frequent visits.

"I haven't been here in a while," Ren replied. There was a silence. "Lady Giana said your cell was bad, but I didn't think - " He broke off.

"Don't mention it," Her brother waved him off. "Unless you're going to talk to young Robb and get me moved somewhere else,"

"Small chance he'd allow that," Ren said. "You did deserve it. But I'll try and get more food brought down here,"

"You can see me wasting away even in this gloom, then?" He scoffed. "Gods, I'll be as good as a cripple by the time I'm out of here. Even Joffrey would be able to beat me in a fight,"

"Make sure I'm there to see that,"

Jaime chuckled.

"I do know, you know," Ren said quickly, after a pause. "My mother confirmed any suspicions I had before we left Winterfell,"

"Ah," Another long pause. "You're my favourite of the five, if that helps?"

"Thanks ever so," Ren said. "Five bastards is ridiculous. I should call you Robert,"

"And my father complains there are no Lannister heirs,"

"No legitimate ones," Ren laughed. "Your sister said I resemble Lord Tywin,"

"She said that to me, too," Jaime said with distaste. "Which is blatantly false. You look like your mother more than anyone, and she happens to have an equally terrifying stare,"

"Morganna looks like you, though. I don't know how she made it all that time in King's Landing without Cersei taking her head,"

"A miracle, I'm sure," He said. "Although now it'll be Lord Bolton to worry about. I can't imagine he's the most forgiving man,"

"He's not," Ren said. "He's the reason I was never nervous in front of Lord Tywin. No one's as terrifying as Roose Bolton, and I grew up in his castle. I think he scares Mother too, though she'd never admit it,"

"Well that makes two people who scare Rosennis Stark," Jaime said lightly. "Aerys Targaryen and her own husband. One of those is dead at my hand - I'd love to complete the set. Although the night before her wedding - " He broke off, amused. "No, that's not my story to tell,"

"Unfortunately Bolton hasn't done anything to warrant killing, yet," Ren said. "Robb has enough enemies without murdering his allies,"

"Perhaps," Jaime's tone suggested otherwise.

Giana chose that point to stop eavesdropping and creep back up the stairs.

In the end, it wasn't her that returned to Loreon in King's Landing. For reasons that eluded her, Robb Stark would rather give up her brother to the Baratheons than Giana. The only logic behind this she could think of was that she was of value to both Loreon and Tywin, although considering the Baratheons were supposed to be allies of the Starks, this was odd. Perhaps there was more going on behind the scenes than she knew.

She watched from the battlements as Renan Snow rode out of the gates of Riverrun with Jaime by his side, heading east down the River Road.

*

Robb Stark wed Marianne Frey under the heart tree in the Godswood of Riverrun. The Northern wedding ceremony was short and simple but strangely beautiful. Giana liked the absence of a Septon, forgoing the endless readings of hymns and prayers for more time spent enjoying the feast.

With the shadow of the hated peace treaty between the Lannisters and Baratheons hanging over them, their own fate as yet uncertain, the Northmen and Riverlanders perhaps felt like this would be the last time they enjoy themselves for a while. They made the most of the wedding, eating, drinking and dancing as much as possible and making a lot of noise in the process.

The new Lady Stark sat beside her husband at the high table, smiling shyly, overjoyed. She was not the bride Robb Stark would have chosen, but he acted chivalrously towards her and the girl was sweet in return, a surprisingly good conversationalist. Within an hour or so, the young lord was smiling as though marrying a Frey wasn't as bad as he'd expected.

It struck Giana halfway through the feast that Robb was the only Stark present. Sure, his uncles Brynden and Edmure were both there, but they were Tullys. His father was dead, his mother and cousins were in the North, his younger brothers were dead, one sister missing and another with his aunt on the other side of Westeros. Even his cousin Ren had left for King's Landing a week earlier.

For that reason, after he had danced with his young bride and she had been whisked off by one of her multitude of cousins, Giana approached him with a friendly smile.

"You looked rather lost for a moment," She said, taking the now-empty seat beside him, where Edmure Tully had sat before heading upstairs with a pretty serving girl. "I thought I'd keep you company,"

"Thank you, my lady, but I'm fine alone," His eyes were suspicious.

Giana laughed. "I'm not Cersei," She said. "She's hated me from the day I was born. I enjoy talking to people and am awful at scheming. Even if I was trying to drag you into some nefarious plot, I'm such a bad liar you'd be able to tell right away,"

"Are you sure you're a Lannister?" He asked, amused despite himself.

"If I had a gold dragon for every time someone's said that I'd have, well, all the gold in Casterly Rock," She grinned. "I can understand you hating my father, Cersei and Joffrey, but believe it or not, most of my family is perfectly lovely,"

"The Kingslayer?" He challenged then. "Or the Imp?"

"Tyrion has done nothing to harm your family," She replied lightly. "Only served his own, which any man would do. And Jaime, well," She sighed. "Nothing I say will convince you, and I won't try too hard, considering it is your wedding. But your cousin was his squire for five years, and he treated him well. Your aunt has been his friend since they were fifteen. While both of them, and myself, would not hesitate to admit he can be insufferable, he's not the monster you believe him to be,"

"If you say so," Stark looked doubtful still, which wasn't surprising. "Did you know about him and Cersei, before?"

She thought for a moment. There didn't seem to be any harm in telling him, seeing as he knew the truth already and nothing would convince him otherwise.

"I realised much too late," She said. "The twins had already born. I always knew they'd been very close, and Cersei had always been possessive - that's why she always hated me, she didn't want any competition," Robb's disgusted face matched her own. "But I had no idea just how close they actually were until I caught them at it by mistake. Imagine the horror I felt,"

"I don't want to think of it," He grimaced. "I can't imagine either of them took you finding out well,"

"Cersei screamed and told Jaime to run me through," She laughed at her sister's stupidity. "He obviously refused, and looked at her like he was seeing her true self for the first time. They argued, and from what I gather he never touched her again," She laughed at the look on his face. "Don't act so surprised. Jaime has always loved me and Tyrion just as much as Cersei - in a different way, thank the Seven,"

"And you'd forgive him for - for all that?"

"He's my brother," She said simply. "Of course I would. He never wanted children, besides. Cersei, on the other hand..." She trailed off. "She was stupid. She could've had Jaime on the side and popped out a black-haired baby for Robert every few years and no one would've been any the wiser. Jon Arryn wouldn't have suspected a thing, or even if he had he wouldn't have cared enough to risk the ire of my father, had she given him trueborn heirs,"

"And this entire war could have been avoided," Robb glowered. "My father would still be alive. My brothers too. You'd be at home with your children, and we'd all be safe in Winterfell," His voice broke on the last word, and he quickly looked away, embarrassed.

Giana felt a stab of pity for him, barely a man and far from home fighting a war, alone with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She wanted to hug him then, but knew she couldn't, especially not in front of the entire hall.

"Nothing in the world can bring back your father and brothers," She lowered her voice, settling for placing a hand on his arm. "I know you hate the idea of this treaty - I'm none too enthusiastic myself to see Joffrey anywhere near the Iron Throne - but this could be a chance to bow out with honour,"

"I can't return with Joffrey still King," He said, voice hollow. "He murdered my father,"

"But Joffrey won't be King," Giana said. "He'll be Prince Consort. He won't be dead, and will likely live a life of luxury, but he'll have no real power. Loreon despises him almost as much as you do, he won't let him influence anything important,"

"I liked Loreon, when I met him at Winterfell," Robb granted. "Ren's his good friend, isn't he? One of my conditions could be that Ren stays in King's Landing to report back to me,"

"That's reasonable," She said with a shrug, then saw he still looked doubtful. "This isn't giving up on your father. You've done Eddard Stark proud, fighting for him. If you take the peace terms offered, go back home and drive the Ironborn out of the North, you'll have done your brothers proud too. Your mother will be safe, your sister Sansa, your aunt and cousins. Maybe even Arya will reappear once she hears Winterfell belongs to your family again. You'll have your new wife, the respect of your bannermen, and likely in a future a new generation of Starks,"

Robb glanced sideways at her.

"Perhaps you're more of a Lannister than I thought," He said, though didn't look annoyed. "You're very persuasive. All this just so happens to be exactly what your family wants,"

"Yes," She freely admitted. "But it is also likely the only way for you to live to the age of seventeen,"

He considered that.

"Apologies, that was rather grim," Giana added with a kind smile, patting his arm. "I must be channeling your aunt. Just something for you to think about, though,"

"Thank you, my lady," Robb said, hesitating, about to say something else, but then a roar came from the dance floor as Marianna Frey was hoisted into the arms of the huge Lord Umber and the cry for the bedding went around the room.

"Go," She said with a grin. "Enjoy your wedding night,"

He grinned slightly unsurely as a gaggle of ladies descending upon them.

*

Giana had not been to Harrenhal since that fateful tourney all those years ago. Then, it had been surrounded by colourful tents and standards, bustling with people from every walk of life, everything bright and exciting and new. The sun had been shining, spring had been blooming (at least temporarily), and she had been fourteen.

Now it was simply a foreboding shadow on the horizon, growing more and more impossibly huge with each league they rode.

The devastation of the Riverlands had become apparent the further they travelled from Riverrun; lots of areas had escaped unscathed but the places that hadn't were truly a horror to see. Dead bodies lying outside the ruined burnt-out shells of their homes; men, women, children and animals all slaughtered, their bodies left for the crows, their fields torched and their livelihoods destroyed.

They had come across a small band of brutes tormenting a young woman at the side of the road at one point, taking turns on her whilst two other men held her nine-year-old son between them, making him watch and laughing as he screamed obscenities and threats.

The Northmen had captured each of the rapers and Robb Stark had taken each of their heads. There was no sign of the boy he had been only a year ago on his face as he swung the sword, nor when he offered the sobbing woman a place as a washerwoman and her son a job with the horses. No, Robb looked like his father; grim, stern and lordlike but underneath all of that, kind.

That thankfully was the only time such an incident occurred. With such a large group as theirs, most outlaws and lowlifes stayed out of their way, but Giana couldn't miss the starving people hobbling along the road, terrified of their soldiers. What had they seen to make them so scared? She wasn't sure she wanted to find out, and once again thanked the Gods for making her a Lannister.

Harrenhal was even more grim up close. Various severed heads lined the walls of the hulking, ugly castle, in various states of decay. Passing through the immense tunnel into the courtyard gave her an awful sense of claustrophobia, particularly when the portcullis slammed shut after all their men had gone through. Stupid, as the courtyard of Harrenhal was huge. But for whatever reason, she felt trapped.

Robb Stark dismounted to greet Lord Bolton, Lady Rosennis' husband who had been holding Harrenhal after capturing it from the Lannisters. Giana was just considering how Bolton made her even more uneasy than the castle already did - with his thin lips, pale eyes and near-white skin - when the small girl with short hair stood just behind the man broke into a run and sprinted down to Robb, throwing himself into the startled lord's arms.

"Robb!" The scrawny creature practically sobbed, struggling to get her words out. "I - you - you've been gone so very long - Father, he - I've been all alone - I - "

"Arya?" Robb's eyes went impossibly huge but then his face broke into a big grin, making him look painfully young once more. "Is that you?"

Oh, his little sister. That was sweet, and it gladdened Giana to see them reunited. But wasn't she supposed to have been in King's Landing with Cersei this whole time?

Her heart broke as the little girl nodded, burying her face into his jerkin once more and clinging on like a limpet. Excited murmurs rippled through the assembled Northmen, all of them clearly thrilled to have the little girl back. 'Arya Underfoot' seemed to be her nickname amongst the soldiers from Winterfell.

"We found her several days ago, my lord," Roose Bolton had a quiet, unsettling voice that everyone silenced to hear. "Hence why we didn't send word. Lady Arya had disguised herself as a boy and was working in the kitchens,"

"I was brought here by the Mountain," The girl said, rage now shining in her eyes even though she stuck close to her brother. "Him and his men were torturing the villagers, and they were all dying on the march here and the Tickler took Needle and killed Lommy,"

Robb clearly didn't comprehend much of that, and what he did understand horrified him. Bolton took the opportunity to step in once more.

"No one recognised her until she revealed herself to us," He said. Giana could see that; she wouldn't have guessed Arya was a girl if she hadn't been wearing a dress. "Her disguise was convincing, particularly when everyone believes Arya Stark to be in King's Landing - she got away with hiding right under Lord Tywin's nose," That seemed to amuse him, and he smiled a faint smile. Somehow that was worse than his previously blank expression.

"I heard Robb was coming," Arya said. "I had been planning to escape but then I didn't," Her eyes flickered to the right as the two huge direwolves padded towards the front of the group. "Oh, Nymeria!" She ran off again, throwing her arms around the huge wolf.

Everyone who had seen the direwolves in battle winced, as did those who hadn't, but Nymeria didn't even snap at her, simply rested her huge head on the small girl's shoulder. Giana didn't miss the way Grey Wind, now stood beside Robb, was eyeing Roose with suspicion.

They dined with Lord Bolton that night, much to her silent displeasure. Giana rarely took a dislike to someone, but did with him. How had Lady Rosennis been able to stand being married to the man for so long? Granted, she likely didn't get much of a choice, and was rather frightening herself, but still.

Bolton did serve the purpose of being very well informed on the state of the kingdoms however. The word from King's Landing was little that they didn't already know; Stannis was dead, Shireen was queen and Loreon was regent. Although he did let them know that his wife, Lady Rosennis, had been sent to the Eyrie with Lady Sansa in the hope of persuading Lysa Arryn to swear allegiance to the new Baratheon queen. Robb's face fell a little at this. No doubt he had been hoping to see his aunt and younger sister soon.

Loreon was also preparing to travel to Harrenhal himself - with Tyrion and Jaime, plus Renan Snow and several representatives from the Reach and Stormlands - to discuss the potential peace treaty. Lord Tywin was coming here in person, though like Robb was leaving the majority of his forces at the border so they couldn't push forward into the west. It was going to be a momentous meeting.

Talk later moved onto goings on in the North. Winterfell was still sacked, of course, and Bran and Rickon Stark dead, but Lady Catelyn was safe in the Dreadfort with Aileen and Edrick Bolton, along with all the survivors from Winterfell. Theon Greyjoy was also a prisoner there, awaiting Robb's judgement when he returned.

"You look wary," Giana approached Robb after the meal was over and the people attending dispersed. "Did Bolton say anything odd?"

"No, nothing," He said, then eyed her carefully. "He just gave me these letters from my mother and my cousin Aileen. The Dreadfort sent them here once they knew I'd be coming,"

"That was kind of him," She said, watching him. "Are they as well as he claims?"

"Yes," He said slowly. "But... I don't know. They just seem... strange, I can't put a finger on why," He then looked up at her, seeming to realise who he was talking to. Whilst they had built up some level of companionship, she didn't believe for a moment that he trusted her. "Never mind," He forced a smile onto his face. "I've become too paranoid these past months. You must be excited to see your son again, after all this time,"

"Yes, I am," She smiled too and easily launched into conversation that didn't involve strange letters and the uncertainty of war. If anything, it would be a distraction.

*

Giana was indeed overjoyed to see Loreon again when he arrived, hurrying down to meet the Baratheon party in the courtyard. Of course she wasn't so foolish as to throw herself into his arms immediately; she waited until all the formalities had been exchanged and they were away from the main group.

Her eldest son, who now stood at the height Robert had been (six feet six inches tall), picked her up in a tight hug and whirled her around, grinning as she laughed.

"Oh it's so good to see you again!" She embraced him again when he put her down.

"And you, Mother," He smiled. "I'm glad you're safe and unharmed. I was furious when I heard Ren had kidnapped you and Leo,"

"I forgave him, and so should you," She shrugged. "Besides, you've got more to worry about than me. Since I last saw you, you've become Lord Baratheon, got yourself betrothed to a beautiful Tyrell lady, not to mention been appointed Lord Regent of the Seven Kingdoms! Lord Tywin best be grateful that he has a bastard grandson now,"

"If not for me, the Tyrells and most of the Reach would likely have gone to his side before Stannis took the city," He chuckled. "I'm a thorn in his side if nothing else, and he won't look kindly on me supposedly betraying the family - never mind that Cersei would've had me mysteriously disappear the moment Robert died if I hadn't fled," A dark look crossed his face for a moment before the smile reappeared. "But let's not dwell on the past. Have they treated you well?"

"Perfectly well," She said. "I had freedom of Riverrun the whole time and even attended Robb Stark's wedding. Oh, and Ren told me to tell you next time we see each other that he gave me his gloves when crawling through the tunnels out of the Banefort so that my hands were not cut to ribbons,"

"How chivalrous,"

"I thought so," Giana meant to say something else but her attention was caught by the sight of a huge woman in armour carrying a sword walking across the courtyard. "Who's that?" She asked curiously.

"Lady Brienne of Tarth," Loreon grinned. "She was part of Renly's Kingsguard. After he died, she fell in with Rosennis Bolton, and is now her daughter Morganna's sworn shield,"

It was only then that she noticed the young girl on the large woman's other side, tall and slender with flowing dark hair loose to her waist in the Northern fashion. The girl was beautiful, Giana noticed, as she turned her head and laughed at something the big woman said. Very beautiful... Her blood suddenly ran rather cold as the realisation hit.

"Loreon," She said. "That girl looks far too much like Cersei did at that age. You know, the female version of Jaime. And there's about to be a lot of Lannisters around here to compare her with,"

"Did you not realise it until now?" Her son looked amused.

"I worked out the truth about Renan Snow, of course," Giana rolled her eyes. "But the fact that he is Jaime's is thankfully not that obvious to someone who hasn't spent lots of time around them both. I never knew the other girl was half-Lannister too, but look at her!"

"Morganna's grown up a lot since I met her at Winterfell," Loreon said. "She looks more like him now than ever. Acts like him too - she's a reckless little thing with a sharp tongue on her,"

"Are you not seeing why this is a problem?" She felt like stamping her foot in frustration. For whatever reason, being around Loreon made her often act like a child again, rather than the mother she was to her other children.

"Even if Lord Bolton notices, what's he going to do?" He shrugged. "He has two trueborn children by Ross back at the Dreadfort. No one can prove anything about the girl - rumours are just rumours unless someone gives them strength. He wouldn't want to shame himself by naming Morganna a bastard and admitting his wife was unfaithful,"

"Are you sure?" She fretted. "Perhaps most men, but I only met Bolton a few weeks ago and he makes me uneasy every time I go near,"

"Perhaps if it was any other woman I'd be concerned," He granted. "But Lady Rosennis is a Stark. Bolton seems too ambitious to risk damaging that connection - his family have been wanting to marry into the Starks for centuries. She's also tough as nails. Roose Bolton will be nothing to her,"

"I suppose..." Giana trailed off. Her son did make good points, but equally she couldn't shake the feeling that Lord Bolton would not forgive his unfaithful wife so easily.

At the feast later that evening, Bolton showed no sign of suspecting his supposed youngest daughter was anything but what she seemed. Though the two didn't interact much at all, he greeted her with his usual thin-lipped smile. However towards the end of the night, for a split second, Giana caught him looking at the girl across the hall wearing a terrifying expression, pale eyes dead and empty. It was so brief that she could've imagined things, but it sent a chill up her spine nonetheless. She would be relieved the day Lady Rosennis arrived from the Vale, and would do her best to keep an eye out for Morganna in the meantime.

*

Edited November 2024

A fairly quick update (I'm proud of myself), and the first Giana chapter in god knows how long! What did you think? I know she hasn't featured nearly as much as Ross, and is harder to write as a result as I've had less practice with her voice. I hope the fact she's matured a lot since her first chapter comes across, but also that she's nowhere near as hardened and cynical as Ross, and doesn't quite understand yet how bad things have the potential to get.

A few people have mentioned they feel rather concerned about what's to come at Harrenhal - has this chapter changed your minds at all? Is it just Giana's mind playing tricks on her or is Morganna really in danger?

Thanks everyone for reading and particularly those who comment/review! I love feedback of any kind