Chapter Text
Since morning she felt strange, as if something was about to happen in Winterfell, so since she woke up, she observed everyone and everything around and decided that today is the day that her new nephew or niece will come. Sitting now in her brother’s solar with him and his wife, she realized that she was halfway right. Something happened, yes, but it was not the end of conception, but theoretically a begging of one. She dreaded this news since she returned home on request of her brother. Engagement. Between her and man that Ned thought would make a good husband. She never thought that she would be bound to him. Willas was in the first place of possible husbands, followed by Edmure, maybe even one of her Hightower uncles had more likelihood to marry her then him.
She stopped looking at her hands, straightened her spine and finally answered her brother.
“I will do my duty. You do not have to worry. “
-
“How can she endure it for so long and be so happy? “, thought Elinor to herself while watching her expecting sister-in-law. Catelyn was sitting in front of her and cheerfully was making new tunic for Ned and conversing with other ladies of Winterfell. Cat was in her last month of pregnancy and according to Maester Luwin should give birth any day now. The thought of upcoming time in child bed did not bother Cat at all. She looked tired, but happy at the same time, almost glowing with pride. Her mood was lighting all over the room they were in stitching and embroidering.
This room together the bedroom that was behind door on the left side belonged to the lady of Winterfell. They were old as Winterfell itself but look more Southern then Northern. Catelyn decorated her rooms in Southern fashion with lot of trinkets that lot of Northern ladies did not have need or want to. Northen ladies were, according to Elinor more practical. These rooms were proof of Catelyn being from South. When she left Riverrun for Winterfell, she took pieces with her and whenever Elinor was in her rooms, she felt like she was back in the South. Most interesting piece of South were paintings of Riverrun and its surroundings. Elinor thought that they were very well made as they truly looked like places that she visited while she was staying there as a young girl of seven. Those pictures always brought her back to that sad time when she was grieving and praying for her family.
“Are you finished, my lady? “, asked Septa Mordane sitting on her right side. She noticed that Elinor stopped her stitching of a small boyish tunic.
“Almost, Septa. “Elinor obediently answered the woman next to her. Septa came with her from Oldtown on request of Lady Stark as caretaker for Sansa and Arya, to teach them in faith of the Seven and make a good noblewoman out of them. Elinor’s own Septa stayed in Oldtown as she felt that Elinor was old enough and did not need her anymore. Elinor sometimes missed her.
“Your stitching is getting better and better. I am sure will be soon able to create tunics like Lady Star. “, Septa continued and gestured to Cat. Elinor heard this sentence almost every time they were here and always tried to change the direction which way this conversation usually takes but did not know how to do it now, so she just nodded.
“Septa is right. Soon you will be making tunics and clothes for your husband as well. “, but Catelyn wanted to lead the conversation this way.
“Then I need at least ten years before I marry, otherwise my husband would not be happy with state of his closet. “, Elinor wanted to keep the talk light and not serious. Since she came back from her Oldtown she had no want to talk about marriage.
“That matter lies with your brother as head of house Stark and no one else. But I am sure that if you brought up someone that you found liking to, he would be supportive. Have written to Edmure, yet? You have been home for some time; I am sure he would be glad to hear from you. “, Catelyn’s great wish for them to marry and keep family ties between Riverrun and Winterfell. Elinor liked Edmure he was funny and someone she knew, but not someone she wanted to share a bed with. Edmure visited every brother in Riverlands and was not ashamed of it and even told her some stories when she visited Riverrun on her way back home. But because how adamant Cat was, Elinor was a little worried that Ned will choose Edmure as her future spouse. She did not know what she would do if that happened.
“I am sure, but I do not wish to bother him. He has lot of responsivities as future lord of Riverrun. Lord Tully does not let him have a lot of time. “. This was true, Lord Tully truly did not let Edmure roam free and was like Catelyn for the marriage between them, but there was so much he could do to. Edmure was young and full of life and even though he was committed to his duties, the lust for other activities stayed with him.
“And I am sure he would appreciate it. “, Catelyn would not the matter go so Elinor tried something else.
“I think the baby will be born today. “, she said instead of answering the Edmure topic.
“Why? “
“Just a feeling. Do you not want to give birth soon? When I came home, I thought that you were soon to give birth, when I learned you were two moths away and did not believe our Maester. Does it not bother you to be in this state for so long? “
“Not really, if I had to, I would stay for two more months and would not mind it. This child is so well behaved. When I ask him to stop kicking, he does. Although it gets harder and harder to move from room to room. “, Catelyn started to rub her belly with one hand.
“It still could be she. “, now Elinor was confident that the matter of future spouses was over and that they would talk about her nephew and nieces.
“I am sure it is a boy this time. “
“You said the same thing with Sansa and Arya as well. Would it be bad to have another little girl? “
“No, but I wish to give your brother another son, he deserves it. “Because of Jon, Elinor thought silently. Even though Cat tried to care for the boy, only thing she saw was his mysterious mother. Elinor did not agree with her brother about issues surrounding the boy. She was for letting Catelyn know the truth and to show him her care and love, that Elinor was sure Cat would do if she knew.
“I am sure Ned will be happy either way, boy of girl, he does not care. “Here Elinor thought that marriage topic would be forgotten, and Cat would go on and on about her happiness with Eddard and his ability as a father.
“What do you wish for? Boy or girl? As a firstborn. “, with this Catelyn returned to place that Elinor had no want to enter.
“I do not think about such things. “This was a lie. Elinor wanted a lot of children, like her grandfather and brother had. Growing alone, even with older siblings sometimes felt lonely.
“Really? You must have a thought to it. At least when you were in Oldtown, and your grandfather wanted to drag you to sept. “
“He did not. He would not do it without Ned’s approval. He just wanted to assure a good future for House Hightower. I do not blame him. “, Now was Elinor getting annoyed. She loved and admired her grandfather and did not want to talk about him badly. He taught her so much in her time in Oldtown. If she could, she would have stayed in Oldtown for few more months, but after her grandfather’s plan to marry her off, she had to come home.
“He overstepped his boundaries. Reason or not. He was out of place, together with Lady Tyrell, to decide such things. “
“Still if he had forced me, I would not be here. I wanted to help him make his struggles away. “
“You are a good granddaughter if you think so, but you should more thing about struggles of House Stark and your brother. That is your duty. “Now the conversation lost the light tone it had in the start. Elinor was now feeling hostile towards Catelyn, so she decided to end promptly, but quietly so not to rouse other ladies who were very munch interested in rumours and scandals of the South.
“I am done with this tunic. I will put to Jon’s room and go watching boys’ training. I had enough stitching for today. “Elinor did not want to continue in this talk. She did not wait for Cat’s answer and left the room.
-
After the lunch Elinor was found by Septa Mordane and told by her that both Lord and Lady of Winterfell wish to speak with her in Lord’s solar, so she politely answered Septa and started her way to her brother’s solar. On the way she was thinking about what for did they wanted to see her. Did something happen to Ben? Or did he change his mind about grandfather’s offer. She did not like Willas like that, but she would marry him if her grandfather asked. He wanted to be sure that if none of his sons had no children, that as a child of his oldest daughter, his house would not be destroyed. Willas loved grandfather as well and promised that in case Elinor would be heiress of Oldtown, that their child would take a name Hightower and with this the house would stay strong without a need to fear for its future. She agreed with him, but Ned did not. He felt insulted by this action. He got to know about this plan by Jory, who was her guard in the South. It was his duty to let his lord know, she understood it, but for some time blamed him and was angry with him. Ned also told her that he had someone in mind but did not say whom.
Since then, she did not know anything about her future, and it were already two months since she returned home. Was it Edmure he had in mind? Did Catelyn finally convince him? Elinor hoped not. Or was there some Northern lord that he favoured? Glover or Karstark? Or maybe they wanted to talk about something entirely else.
She lightly knocked on the wooden and door and after hearing “Come in „opened them and walked inside. There she could see her brother sitting behind his great desk and Catelyn sitting in from of him.
“You wished to see me? “
“Yes, please sit with us. “, Ned said and gestured to the chair next to Catelyn. Elinor noticed that he was holding a letter.
“I received a letter this morning which finally convinced me about issue of your marital future. “
“I did not know it was such a great issue for you. “
“You know it is. For a long time, a had someone in mind and wrote about him to my former foster lord Jon Arryn. He agrees with me in advantage of such much and today I received a marital proposal by him. “This Elinor was nervous.
“Who then? “, It could not be Willas, otherwise he would have written her grandfather.
“Stannis Baratheon. He wrote himself so I do not know if he was advised by Jon Arryn or not. “
Elinor’s heart stopped beating. Stannis Baratheon. Man, that was forced to dance with her by order of his brother in the celebrations of Lannisport tourney. Man, that looked as if he would rather be with his man in war then with a hall full of nobleman and family members. Man, whose look froze her in space and who insulted her feminine dreams of love. This man wanted or was advised to marry her.
Both Eddard and Catelyn were looking at her and waiting.
“Elinor? What do you think? “, Catelyn asked.
Since morning she felt strange, as if something was about to happen in Winterfell, so since she woke up, she observed everyone and everything around and decided that today is the day that her new nephew or niece will come. Sitting now in her brother’s solar with him and his wife, she realized that she was halfway right. Something happened, yes, but it was not the end of conception, but theoretically a begging of one. She dreaded this news since she returned home on request of her brother. Engagement. Between her and man that Ned thought would make a good husband. She never thought that she would be bound to him. Willas was in the first place of possible husbands, followed by Edmure, maybe even one of her Hightower uncles had more likelihood to marry her then him.
She stopped looking at her hands, straightened her spine and finally answered her brother.
There was nothing for her here than to agree.
“I will do my duty. You do not have to worry. “
“We know you will. “Catelyn added.
“Stannis Baratheon is a good man. Since fighting with him last year he stayed in my mind as a potential match for your, this letter just affirmed that interest is also on the other side. “.
“I trust your judgement. “Elinor said.
Ned just nodded his head slowly. “I will write to Dragonstone letter with my approval together with other details and terms. “
“Like what? “Elinor asked and before he could answer Catelyn did.
“You are still very young. Just five and ten. Your brother wants to wait for you to be at least seven and ten to get married. And I agree. There is no need to rush as many younger girls were married and died I childbed because of their age. “This both Eddard and Elinor understood. Their sister was same age when she got pregnant. There was no need to explain this to her.
“That is good to know. “
“Do not be afraid, Elinor. It is big news to you, although you knew you would get married, now the face has a name and you already met him. He is not altogether unknow to you.
“Cat continued and she was right. Elinor met him, but that meeting, and talk was not pleasant for her. She felt small talking with him. As if both his speech and stature could devastate her spirit.
“Cat is right. You should take a walk to goodwood or sept it will help calm you and think about it. “, Ned noticed her holding her hands very stiffly.
“I should. Thank you for the news. Like I said I will do my duty to you. “With that last sentence she stood up and left the room.
-
Ned was right. The goodwood calmed her and she started think about it. Him. Stannis Baratheon. Her future husband. Ned said the letter was from him, not from Jon Arryn or the king. Did he wanted to marry her personally? Did he have some desire? Elinor decided that no. Her opinion of him descending from their meeting told her that man like Stannis lived for his duty and laws. It was probably practical decision from his side. She heard herself from her grandfather that she was marital price for any nobleman from minor to royal house. Her being daughter of Rickard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Malora Hightower brought two great houses together. Connection between North and Reach.
She noticed how it when visiting Lannisport after Greyjoy rebellion for the tourney. Even though she was not crowned Queen of love and beauty, like her sister was, a lot of knights and lords asked for her favour. All were refused by her grandfather. He wanted her with Willas. On the night after the tourney, when she did not danced with her family members, she probably danced with half the knights, mainly from the West and Lannister ones. All the time there she was chaperoned by her Hightower uncles and aunts, so she was always under some kind of watch. Tywin Lannister did not shy from topic of marriage between herself and house Lannister. He even went to her grandfather and refused by him, but this she was told later. Jaime Lannister danced with her and was very charming and introduced her to his little brother. Tyrion was nice enough and very smart to talked to but like Edmure had weakness for pleasure houses. It was him who notices her looking at Stannis. The only man that stood in the corner with a frown on his face. She asked Tyrion who he was. He had to see an opportunity to something as he immediately took her by hand and brought her to him. There he introduced them, and Elinor understood while he did it.
Stannis Baratheon was not a man for pleasantries and introduction and small talk he hated which Tyrion had to know. Stannis was there on order of his brother and hated every minute of it. They were noticed by the King. They danced for one song in dance of pairs, so she never moved far away from him. They did not spoke and immediately after the song ended, he left her there. Flock of her relatives took her away and she danced with them. It was very demanding for her; she was tired and sweaty as she never danced so much in her life. So, when no one was looking she left and found opened door to balcony. She went for there for the premise of cold night air. And there he was. There they talked. There he angrily insulted her and her beliefs. She did not know why.
She heard some things about him in the South, when she was talking with Lord Tyrell, her uncle, after she returned from Lannisport. He did not liked Stannis, as years ago, back in the Rebellion Stannis held a siege against him and won. He told her that he was strict and cold and that many men feared to serve under him. Never smiling and always brooding, Stannis was not favourite among nobles as was his brother the King. They were opposite he said. This is probably a good thing, Elinor thought, as she saw the King and his ways with woman. She heard that after Lannisport tourney a servant gave birth to twins by him. Elinor met him there and had to endure his touch as he was inspecting her and looking for some trace or similarity that she shared with Lyanna. She did not. This made the Queen angry and unpleasant at Elinor. Stannis would probably not stray, but still…
Was this the man she was supposed to marry. May gods help her. Would he be always like that? Angry? Insulting? Cold? Would he marry he with disgust?
Elinor hoped not, bit she knew that men do not change. She hoped that he would not be like that at least with her.
For two hours she walked through the good wood and thought about Stannis. Until the sun started to lay low and sky started signalling that night was beginning.
Servants greeted her and told her that Catelyn went into labour and Elinor smiled that at least in one thing she was right. She was told that Lord Stark is in Lady’s lounge, so she went there. There she was met with her brother silently sitting and looking at bedroom door. Elinor could hear Catelyn’s screams.
“How is doing? Is everything going well? “
“Marster Luwin said that this birth should not take long. But still I cannot stop myself, what if…“They both turned their minds back to Lyanna and her fate.
Elinor kneeled before her brother and put her hand onto his.
“She managed to do this three times already. Catelyn is strong. Do not think about things that could be, we both know it will not help us. “, she told him, and they both understood what she was talking about. There was no need to torture ourselves with different outcomes of our actions. All the time that Catelyn went to childbearing bed he felt guilty, and Elinor’s mind turned to Stannis. Would be he like Ned and think about tragic end of the birth when it was her time? Would he be waiting as Ned outside of her rooms or would he be away and just waiting whether the child was alive and what gender it would be?
“What about you, did the walk help? “
“Yes, but still, I cannot stop myself as well from feeling strange. “
“There is no need for that. Wedding will not happen for at least two years, and I know Stannis. He is a good man. “Elinor wanted to believe him. She truly did.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of bedroom doors and midwife’s voice.
“It is done, My lord. It is a healthy boy. “, she exclaimed with great smile on her face. They did not even notice that Catelyn’s screams were no more and instead they could hear child crying quietly.
“And your Lady? Is she…? “, he turned to the midwife and stood up.
“Nothing went wrong. Our Lady is resting and Maester Luwin is just finishing his examination of her and the child. Came in to see them. “, she told him and opened the doors widely for him to enter. He turned at me and I just nodded to signal him to go in. He was always so nervous when he was meeting his new children. Elinor remembered him years ago when he met Robb for the first time. He was afraid to hold his own child or even touch him. It was at the time of great grief and sadness for all of them.
“Elinor, come see him as well. “, she heard from the bedroom that stayed open, so she did. In the bedroom was Catelyn sitting on the bed, almost asleep, but so happy. Her red hair was put into braid that adorned her head. She had opened nightdress and was feeding little newborn baby, that was lying on her breast. The child was very small, which surprised Elinor. After seeing Cat wobbling with great stomach for the last two months she expected a little giant, not a baby that was smaller than Sansa when she was born. Ned was standing next to her bed and was looking at them amazingly, as they were only things in the whole Westeros. Midwifes were cleaning up all the towels and waters from the room on the order of Maester Luwin.
“Your feeling was right. He was born today. “
“I am just glad that both of you are healthy. “
Ned was still silent.
“I told you it was a boy, and you did not believe me. “, she said and turned her head from her newborn son to her husband, who still did not utter a word. He was watching them with so much love in his eyes.
“I will believe you from now on. What about a name for him? “Elinor asked. Catelyn turned to her and then back to her husband awaiting an answer.
“Brandon Stark. “, were only words he said and smiled at them.
“Little Bran. “Catelyn bended her head and kissed her newborn son’s hair.