4 Breakfast and Tense Talks

Sitting at the breakfast table in the great hall, I dove into the food in front of me. Fresh meat and bread, water that was in a clean cup and butter to put on the bread - it was a heavenly feast compared to what I was used to on the way over to Winterfell.

Even when compared to food back at Last Hearth, it was better. Probably because of better trade routes with the South and because of the more livable environment around Winterfell. Which led to more animals and the animals were a just better food. Animals far North are usually too fatty and their meat is too hard and rough. Yet the meat I was eating right now...it was tender and juicy. Full of flavor. It was good food.

Picking up my third cob*, I split it open and lathered the insides with butter before I piled some of pork and beef into the impromptu sandwich. When my masterpiece was done, I began to eat it.

I wasn't the only one like this either. Robb, Theon and Jon were also like this. Though the latter was trying to look somewhat respectable - especially with Lady Catelyn here staring daggers at him every few seconds.

Said Lady decided to start a conversation with me and she poised herself with a polite smile and straight posture as she spoke, looking as much the highborn lady as she truly was. Etiquette had obviously been forced onto her since she was a child - so much so that her posture right now didn't even look unnatural or the result of conscious thought. It was muscle memory for her at this point.

What a weird world. Or rather, what a weird time period. In modern times, etiquette is a positive and manners are too but not to this extent. Maybe in some families, sure, but the vast majority? Very little people in the 21st century actually hold themselves with any decorum. I guess that's what happens when nobility is mostly long gone and a thing of the past.

"So, Alaric...may I ask why you're being paged to us at such a late age?" she asked before taking a sip of some water. As she swallowed the beverage, she put the cup down and gave me a reassuring smile, "I'm not trying to pry, so feel free to tell me if I am."

...Man, the difference in treatment between Jon and I, is kinda unsettling.

Yet I didn't let that show on my face and I swallowed whatever food was in my mouth before washing it down with a gulp of whatever. Clearing my throat as silently as possible, I answered, "You're not prying, Lady Catelyn. It's as polite a question as any," I reassured her that I didn't mind and she gave me a grateful smile as I continued, "I paged so late because I've spent most of my time up until now learning the art of combat and war off of my eldest brother, my father and my uncles. You could say my family wanted me to be prepared before I left to see the outside world," I gave a light chuckle which Lady Catelyn shared.

"Then you can definitely say they've succeeded!" she enthusiastically replied before gesturing to Robb and, with some reluctance, Jon, "You bested my son Robb and Jon without much effort. Though I must implore you to keep a light hand when sparring with Robb in the future - it wouldn't do for the heir to House Stark to be injured too badly by one of his Bannerman."

Despite her smiling at me and sounding ever so polite...I could see the subtle threat in her words. 'Don't embarrass my son like you did earlier today' or 'Don't undermine his authority as a Stark just because you're a better fighter', either one works and they both have a similar meaning.

'Know your place.'

...It stung to be told this, and a certain part of me flared up in anger at this blatant suppression. Yet I controlled my anger and watched as Robb, who also caught what she meant, began to complain to her.

"Mother, it was only a spar. And if Alaric were to go easy on me and let me win...it wouldn't have been much of a win, would it?" Robb tried to talk some sense into his mother but she didn't seem to be having any of it as she shook her head at the young boy.

"It doesn't matter. Fighting, whether he fights you seriously or not--You're the Heir to House Stark, Robb. He will be one of your Bannerman in the future, so he will show you the required respect now," she put the proverbial foot down as she stared down at her eldest son with a look that gave no route for defiance.

Yet it wasn't all other, thankfully.

"Come on, Cat," a deep voice came from the other end of the hall, "It's normal for lads their age to test their mettle against one another. Telling them to stop...it'll only make 'em want to do it more," the man, Lord Eddard, laughed as he got closer to the table. When he got here, he clapped me on the shoulder, giving me a shake, "I saw the fight from my solar, lad. You're definitely your father's son with strength like that. Even better, you're not as slow as an Auroch* during a fight despite being strong like one," he said before looking to Robb and Jon, "You two have got a capable sparring partner, so make the use of it. No matter what anyone says," he said the last part while sparing a glance for his wife who huffed, rolled her eyes and mumbled something about men.

(*A/N - An Auroch is a bull-like creature in Westeros. They're actually things that existed on Earth as well but went extinct because *ding ding ding*, that's right! Humans!--Ahem. Anyway, they're massive beasts. About 6 foot tall AT THE SHOULDER. They were likely 7 foot tall or more if they held their heads high. Either way, they're basically the same size as Rhinos but just not as heavy.)

"Thanks father!" Robb enthusiastically replied with a beaming smile while Jon just nodded.

Seeing him nod, Catelyn seemed to have found a target to release some of her frustrations on, "You've finished your food, Snow? Then go tend to your duties in the stables."

The so-called Bastard gave a nod before standing up and after bowing to all of us, he left for the stables. Lord Eddard gave a glowering look to his wife before he sighed and sat down next to her. Smiling, and changing the subject, he spoke up to me, "So, how long have you been learning to use a sword, lad?"

"About as long as I can remember. Probably since I was four or five namedays old," I scratched my chin before nodding, "Yeah, it would be when I turned five namedays old, Lord Stark. I asked Father to teach me how to use a Greatsword* like him and he happily obliged."

(*A/N - Greatswords, claymores, two-handed swords--it's all the same)

"Hm," the Head Stark scratched his chin before nodding, "Then I thank you for not using a Greatsword against Robb and Jon. You'd have probably overpowered them even more than before," he chuckled while throwing a glance at Catelyn who looked at me with a new light in her eyes. I gave the Lord a grateful look before giving an apologetic look to Robb who looked somewhat annoyed by the new information.

"It's to be expected, Lord Eddard. After all, I am only a member of House Umber - how could I strike a Stark with my full strength?" I indignantly asked, my slight anger getting the better of me for a split moment. Reprimanding myself, I prepared myself for the Lord's anger. I didn't regret my words, but rather how I'd said them in a moment of anger and not in a moment of clarity.

Yet all that came was a sigh.

"I apologize for my wife's words, Alaric. She doesn't mean to belittle you or your House - she just worries for our eldest. I hope you can understand, lad," he gave a...reasonable answer to what I'd said.

No shouting. No threats. No 'you impudent brat' cliche. Just calm and unbiased understanding. I guess this is why he's the Warden of the North and called the Quiet Wolf. He's much better than other Lords I've met - most disregard other's personal feelings and rarely ever apologize. Even to my father, if they're on equal standing, but this Lord just apologized to me, a child.

...What a breath of fresh air.

"...I accept your apology, Lord Stark," I bowed my head in gratitude, "Though her words are still a bitter pill to swallow, I'll try my best," I smiled before turning to the Lady of Winterfell, "Lady Catelyn," I addressed her and she turned to look at me with her piercing blue eyes, "I understand and sympathize with your feelings. As a mother, you care for your children more than you do for Houses and politics - it's admirable and I respect it. But please know that my sparring with Robb wasn't with the ulterior motive to undermine his status as the Heir to House Stark nor was it to show myself as better than him. It was simply a spar between boys. I apologize if I worried you but please know that I would never take a spar too far as to risk the well-being of the other person."

After I spoke, there was silence. The Lord and Lady were both looking at me with some degree of shock in their eyes, most likely wondering how a child of only eleven namedays could be so articulate and well-spoken. While Bran and Arya were just looking at me confused as to why I was speaking so much - they were completely lost on what was going on.

Meanwhile, Robb was looking at me with a spark of admiration in his eyes. Probably at how I'd composed myself when speaking to his mother and in the presence of his father, and how I'd offended neither while still being able to fully get across my point.

...I'd taken my classes back at the Last Hearth seriously. After all, being strong was good and all but sometimes, you need to know how to use your words.

Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword. Only sometimes, however. Swords usually work.

"I..." Lady Catelyn seemed lost for words before she sighed, "I'm sorry for how harsh my words were, Alaric. As you said, I'm a mother before I'm the Lady of Winterfell and I can't help but worry for my children - so please, let me apologize for any dishonor I've put onto you or your House," she bowed her head with an apologetic look, my words obviously having gotten through to her and my sincerity allowing her to believe those words.

Her bowing her head and actually being sorry for her words was the best I could get. A curtsy would've been a bit better, but the Lady of House Stark curtsying a highborn child of lower status? That'd be a massive dishonor to House Stark and House Tully. It'd put me and my House in hot water.

Either way, her actually putting aside her motherly worries and accepting my words as truth is more than enough for me.

"Please, raise your head, Lady Catelyn," I smiled before continuing in a more light-hearted manner, "If you want to look at it in any way, my Lady, think of it like this: the more Robb spars with me, the more prepared he will be if he ever gets into a fight. May the Old Gods forbid it from ever happening, however," I joked but made sure to show some caution by 'praying' to the Old Gods and hoping they wouldn't throw Robb into a fight. Though I knew that was most certainly going to happen if canon happens, Lady Catelyn didn't know this.

Hearing me, she raised her head and gave me an odd look of appreciation, "If you put it that way, Alaric, I see no reason to stop the sparring. Just make sure you stay true to your words of not taking it too far," she gave a look of warning, though the lack of heat told me she was only being semi-serious. It was more of a light-hearted banter.

"I'll keep that in mind, Lady Catelyn," I smiled before patting my stomach, "I'm afraid I'm quite full, so I'll be calling an end this meeting and I'll be leaving first. Can one of the servants guide me to my room?" I aimed the question to Lord Eddard who gave a small smile and a nod.

"Aye," he said before calling over one of the maids, "Take the young lord to his chambers."

"Yes, Lord Stark," the maid gave a nervous curtsy before turning to me and waiting for me to stand so she could lead me.

Standing, I bowed to the Lady and Lord, "Then I bid you farewell for now, Lady Catelyn, Lord Eddard," standing up straight again, I gave a wave to Bran, Arya and Robb before I gestured for the maid to lead the way.

I needed to put the protein I gained to use otherwise it'd just get wasted - Exercise time, I guess.