[Chapter Size: 2500 Words.]
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The giant wolves grew very quickly. In just over a month, they had already doubled in size. elia vaguely remembered when she had raised a cat: at first, it was just a small, cute kitten, but in two months, it had grown a lot. Animals seemed to be like that. When young, they grew too fast.
All the brothers and sisters loved their giant wolves. Bran named his "Summer," a name he chose as soon as he brought the pup to Winterfell. His wolf represehe opposite of the "Wihat was ravaging their lives.
Robb's wolf was named "Grey Wind"; Jon's, "Ghost," because of its pletely white fur. Sansa named hers "Lady."
"Alright!" elia thought. "That seems like the perfeame for her!"
Arya, in turn, chose the name "Nymeria" for her wolf. The fu one was the name chosen by Ri. He was he bcksmith's shop when he heard the dog Bob barking. Inspired by this, he decided to name his wolf "Shaggydog." It may not have been a very impressive name, but it was adorable, and of course, if Ri liked it, that was enough.
As for her own wolf, "Winter," elia sidered it an ued surprise. She was extremely happy to have him. For over a month, she cared for and traihe pup with dedication. Robb and the others did the same with theirs, following Ned's instrus.
It was amazing. Perhaps this really was a fantasy world. The giant wolves were surprisingly intelligent and seemed to uand ands easily. They didn't need much rigorous training to show impressive results, whily added to the charm they felt for them.
Time passed quickly as the wolves were trained.
The days always seemed to fly by. Among the seven Stark children, elia and Sansa's birthdays were the first of the year. Robb's and the others' birthdays were in the sed half of the dar. As the months passed, elia realized they were already in the fourth month of the year.
This year had been incredibly difficult. Many of the previous events of Game of Throook pce during that time, and she khat the downfall of the Stark family was the first major event in the narrative. elia vaguely remembered the exact time whehing would happen, but she khat the process, from start to finish, would be too quick.
She felt a growing impatience, but she khat in those moments, she had to calm doroceed with care, step by step. If she didn’t stay calm, everything could bee even more fusing.
The first great tragedy was Bran's fall. elia remembered that he had fallen from the Winterfell wall at the beginning of the story. Although he was one of the few members of the Stark family who would survive until the end, he would never walk again.
No matter how hard she tried, elia couldn’t remember exactly who made him fall or from where exactly he fell. She only khat Bran loved to climb the wall. Sihe previous month, she had seriously warned him several times, forbidding him from climbing again. But he was just a child, and as stubborn as he was, he didn’t obey.
Still, she caught him a few times sneaking up the wall, which made her frustrated and helpless. All she could do was sole herself with the fact that, at least for now, nothing had happened. She decided to keep Bran by her side in the following days to try to protect him.
elia kime was running out, but she didn’t expect the moment to e so quickly. A week ter, on an ordinary m, Catelyn came to remind elia to practice her violin, something she rarely did, and she obeyed without enthusiasm.
But she didn’t finish that song. Deep down, she hoped no one would interrupt her performah bad news.
In the middle of her pying, Meistre Luwin hurried in with a scroll in hand and an anxious expression. After Catelyhe message, she had just enough time to say a few quick words to elia before rushing off.
Catelyn and the others didn’t expin, but elia khe king was ing.
She also uood that her mother’s promise to review her musical theory ter would not be fulfilled. At least, not in the few years, even if everythi well.
It was ironic. A sed ago, elia didn’t want to practice or follow the requirements of etiquette. But when she heard her mother’s hurried footsteps leaving, she realized she would miss the routines and demands of a peaceful life.
Without interference from the outside world, being a on noblewoman like Sansa might not be a bad choice.
Of course, it was just a fleeting thought. She knew her destiny wouldn’t be so simple.
At lunch that day, Catelyn and Ned publicly annouhe arrival of the king, and elia finally uood what had happehe king's hand had died of fever.
The te king's hand, Jon Arryn, had been the lord of the Eyrie in the Vale of Arryn, and the Protector of the East. He was also ark’s mentor and the Stark children’s uncle, as his wife, Lysa Tully, was Catelyn's sister.
More than ten years ago, the Seven Kingdoms were not ruled by the current king, Robert Baratheon. At that time, the Iron Throill beloo House Targaryen.
The Targaryens were inally from Valyria, on the ti of Essos, beyond the Narrow Sea. It was only more than three hundred years ago that the "queror" Aegon Targarye the mouth of Bckwater Bay with three dragons and his army, starting a massive invasion of Westeros.
At that time, Westeros was divided into seven distinct kingdoms:
The North, ruled by Torrhen Stark.
The Vale of Arryn, ruled by Ronnel Arryn.
The Iron Isnds and the Rivernds, ruled by Harren Hoare of the Iron Isnds.
The Westernds, ruled by Loren I Lannister of Casterly Rock.
The Reach, ruled by Mern IX Gardener.
The Stormnds, ruled by Argic Durrandon.
Dorne, ruled by Queen Meria Martell.
Aegon Targaryen, with his dragons and troops, subdued each of these kingdoms aablished Targaryen supremacy. He uhe Seven Kingdoms uhe Iron Throne and fouhe capital in King's Landing. The Starks were named Protectors of the North, the Lannisters became Protectors of the West, and the Arryns were made Protectors of the East.
As a reward for their support in the quest of Westeros, Aegon divided the Rivernds. House Tully received the title of Lords of the Rivernds, while House Greyjoy was rewarded with the title of Lords of the Iron Isnds. Additionally, Aegoed a separate region around King’s Landing, known as the nds, whiswered directly to the Targaryen royal family.
Thus, the inal Seven Kingdoms became, in practiine kingdoms. However, because of the old of calling Aegon Targaryen the King of the Seven Kingdoms, and due to the destru of some ruling houses during the quest, the title remained. As a reward for their loyalty, Aegon gave the Reach to House Tyrell, naming them Protectors of the South. The Stormnds, previously ruled by House Durrandon, were given to House Baratheon.
With this, the major forces of Westeros were reahis war came to be known in history as Aegon's Landing. After the quest, Westeros' dar began to be ted from Aegon's New Year. The Targaryens were closer tons than any other family, and to maintain their pure bloodlihey followed the aradition of iuous marriages.
Perhaps because of this practice, many members of House Targaryen teo go mad. An aargaryen king, Jaehaerys II, once said that whenever a Targaryen was born, the gods tossed a to decide whether they would be mad or brilliant.
The facts firmed this theory.
House Targaryen ruled Westeros for three hundred years. During this time, many kings became known for their insanity. The 17th and st Targaryen king was Aerys II Targaryen, also known as the "Mad King."
Aerys had a capricious and cruel personality. He was obsessed with Wildfire and enjoyed burning alive the lords who disobeyed him, which earned him his infamous niame. He had three children: the eldest sar Targaryeo the throhe sed son, Viserys Targaryen; and the you daughter, Daenerys Targaryen, known as the Mother ons. Currently, Daenerys was in the ti of Essos, across the Narrow Sea, determio return to Westeros aore the Targaryen dynasty.
More than ten years earlier, the Baratheon stronghold was Storm’s End, iormnds. After the death of the former lord, Steffon Baratheon, his eldest son, Robert Baratheon, became the new patriarch of the family and Lord of Storm’s End.
elia’s father, ark, was ninally the heir to Winterfell. His father, Rickard Stark, had four children: the eldest son, Brandon Stark; the daughter, Lyanna Stark; Ned; and the you, Beark, who ter joihe Night’s Watch as a ranger.
Sadly, Brandon and Lyanna Stark had died years ago. To honor her deceased uncle, young Bran was named Brandon Stark.
At that time, the heir to Winterfell was the eldest son, Brandon Stark. elia’s mother, Catelyn Tully, had ninally been promised to ark, but to Brandon, as part of the alliaween Winterfell in the North and Riverrun in the Rivernds.
When he was o years old, ark was sent to the Vale of Arryn, where he grew up uhe tutege of Jon Arryn, alongside the current king, Robert Baratheon. Ned sidered Jon Arryn as a sed father.
The retionship between Winterfell and Storm’s End was alsthened during this period. Ned and Robert were like brothers, and Robert romised to Ned’s sister, Lyanna Stark, for whom he had deep affe.
However, everything ged quickly. In the year 281 of Aegon’s dar, a great tour was held in Harrenhal, the rgest ever seen until then.
During the tour, Rhaegar Targaryen, the eldest son of the Mad King and older brother of Daenerys Targaryeed all the champions. Instead of ing his wife, Elia Martell, he offered the of "Queen of Love ay" to Lyanna Stark, Robert’s betrothed, weaving it with white winter roses.
The worst was yet to e. After the tour, Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark disappeared. Rumors cimed that Rhaegar had kidnapped and raped Lyanna.
Lyanna’s elder brother, known as the "Wolf," Brandon Stark, was furious when he heard the news. Instead of going to the Rivernds to marry Catelyn Tully, he went to King’s Landing to demand that Rhaegar return Lyanna. However, the Mad King, Aerys II, arrested Brandon for treason and summoned his father, Rickard Stark, to expin himself.
Rickard Stark was captured and cruelly executed along with Brandon. With that, the lord of Winterfell and the heir of the North were dead.
After this brutal act, the Mad King wao pletely eradicate the threats to his reign. Upon learning that ark and Robert Baratheon were under Jon Arryn’s prote in the Vale, Aerys ordered Jon to hand over their heads.
Jon Arryn refused. Instead, he raised an army to resist the Mad King. Robert returo Storm’s End to summon his forces. Ned went back to the North, took the title of Lord of Winterfell, and called the North’s vassals to rebellion.
Before marg to join Robert in the south, Ned married Catelyn Tully, who had been promised to his te brother Brandon. This marriage ehat the alliaween the North and the Rivernds remairong.
For a time, the four kingdoms — the Vale of Arryn, the Stormnds, the North, and the Rivernds — raised their armies i. Four of the Seven Kingdoms were in rebellion. The rebel armies defeated the royal forces on the banks of the Trident River, where Robert Baratheon personally killed Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. The armies of the four kingdoms then marched toward King’s Landing with overwhelming force.
When the rebel armies approached the city, Lord Tywin Lannister, of Casterly Rock, arrived with the Westernds army, pretending to be on the king’s side. However, he betrayed the Mad King and ordered the sag of the city. Desperate, King Aerys II Targaryen po burn King’s Landing with Wildfire, but he was killed by Jaime Lannister, a member of the Kingsguard and Tywin’s son. For this act, Jaime became known and despised as the "Kingsyer."
Almost all the members of House Targaryen were killed. Only the pregnant queen and the sed prince, Viserys Targaryen, mao escape tonstone, protected by loyal selors. During a violent storm, the queen gave birth to Daenerys Targaryen. The two siblings fled to the ti of Essos, across the Narrow Sea.
Thus ehe war known as the "War of the Usurpers," and the Baratheon Dynasty began.
Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne and became the King of the Seven Kingdoms. Following Jon Arryn’s advice, he married Cersei Lanywin Lannister’s eldest daughter, thereby solidating an alliah the powerful ahy House Lannister.
However, Robert, despite being an excellent military leader, had no aptitude for ruling. elia had heard ents that, during his more than ten years n, Robert ed the kingdom’s affairs, preferring to drink and have fun every day. The administration of the kingdom was in the hands of his trusted advisor and adoptive father, Jon Arryn, the Protector of the East and Hand of the King.
Now, with Jon Arryn’s death, the kingdom was in a precarious situation. The king, incapable and ued in g, needed someone he could trust pletely. Therefore, the king, queen, and a group of ministers were traveling to Winterfell.
elia felt the weight of the situation. She uood what was happening and what it meant, but she didn’t know what to do. The kingdom's fate seemed uain, and the shadows of the past were drawing closer.
If the king faced his father and asked him to go to King’s Landing to help, would he refuse?
The answer was obvious: absolutely impossible!
It was a true impasse. Even before the king’s arrival, elia already felt deeply powerless.
The raven from King’s Landing had bee by the king when he left. Although ravens were much faster than the royal ente, the message would take several days to reach Winterfell. elia khe king would arrive soon.
And she still didn’t have a pn.
She never imagined her father would have to go to King’s Landing uhese circumstahere were mas and intrigues in Game of Throhat she hadn’t fully uood in her previous life.
She knew very little about the events that would involve her father once he arrived in King’s Landing. Even when she arrived in this world with clearer memories, the political maations had remained fusing. And now, many of those memories had faded with time.
As the events approached rapidly, elia realized she couldn’t find a way to intervene or ge the course of fate.
A feeling of fear took over her.
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