Winterfell and Meeting The Starks

POV Change - Ned Stark (3rd Person)

"Greetings, Lord Stark," the young lord Alaric Umber bowed to the sitting Lord of Winterfell who nodded in response before the young lord turned to the Lord's wife, who stood beside the seated Lord, and bowed just as deeply, "Lady Stark."

His etiquette was surprising to the highborn husband and wife - for two reasons.

One, he was an Umber. They were renowned for their lack of proper etiquette. No matter who they were meeting - there were records of Umbers not even showing etiquette to Kings, Queens and Princes. But the other part that made this young man's etiquette surprising was how refined it was for his age. Ned knew the boy was only eleven namedays old, the same age as Robb and Jon...but the difference between how they held themselves was like night and day.

Which wasn't the only difference between them. This boy, Alaric, despite being the same age as his oldest son was a head taller than Robb and much broader. Ned could even see callouses beginning to build on the boy's hands and fingers - no doubt from intensive sword training.

'A polite Umber...I'm quite shocked,' Ned kept his joke to himself, his face not even cracking from it's serious look, "Alaric Umber, we of Winterfell welcome you as one of our own," Ned nodded to the boy who returned his nod with a relieved smile. Ned could sympathize - he could remember when he were just a boy and had been paged off far from home. It was quite the nerve-wracking experience.

Catelyn, Ned's wife, took a step toward the young Umber and gestured to the door, "Alaric, how about I take you to meet my children?"

Alaric smiled up at Catelyn before nodding, "If you wouldn't mind, Lady Stark," he politely said and Ned found himself continuing to like the young lord's behavior - he'd been prepared to handle someone like the Greatjon or his eldest son Smalljon. Not a respectful young man like Alaric. If anything, Ned wasn't going to complain about it.

"Please, Alaric, call me Catelyn. If you're to be living with us as one of our own, it wouldn't do to have so much formality when we speak, would it?" Catelyn spoke with a motherly smile, her sympathy for the young boy apparent to Ned. She was most likely thinking about how the boy must feel homesick.

'...If only she could go to such lengths for Theon, he wouldn't feel like such a hostage,' Ned thought about the dark-haired Greyjoy who was ward for him and best friends with Robb, and how one day they may not be able to be so friendly due to the tension created by his wife's treatment of the boy.

Alaric's eyes seemed to be thinking as he answered Catelyn's request, and Ned could hardly believe it - 'Another peculiar thing about this young Umber...He thinks before he speaks.'

Ned barely restrained a smile as the boy replied, "If you wish so, Lady Catelyn." Ned's impression of Alaric was growing as he watched the boy both fulfill his wife's request while also staying polite and following proper etiquette.

'If he's anything like the rumors say...he would be a brilliant Lord of the Last Hearth. Strong and seemingly smart. He has the qualities to be respected by the Umbers and their Vassals while also having the brain to lead them,' Ned went deep into thought as Catelyn lead Alaric out of the solar and toward the courtyard where Robb and his other children would no doubt be. Looking at the back of the young Umber, Ned continued to think, '...There's a possibility for a marriage between him and one of my daughters. It would strengthen the ties in the North, for sure. But for me to take such an action, he would have to inherit the mantle of Lord of the Last Hearth over his eldest brother, the Smalljon. Only time will tell, I presume,' leaning his head on his hands, Ned let out a breath before sitting up straight again and continuing with the paperwork he was doing before he greeted Alaric.

. . .

POV Change - Alaric Umber (1st Person)

...Talk about stressful. Those grey eyes were as hard as rock and sharper than flint whenever he looked at me - made me feel like he could see right through me.

Yet I didn't miss the calculating look in his eye when he saw my etiquette and manners. After all, any other Umber, even one my age, would've no doubt been much ruder. Even if they didn't mean it. Etiquette and manners aren't really a big thing in Last Hearth. If you're big and strong, you can pretty much get away with anything that's not too serious. Etiquette and manners being unimportant things to most Umbers.

Which isn't hard to understand why. After all, Last Hearth is called 'Last' for a reason. It's the settlement that's situated the furthest North out of all the main Houses of the North. So, aside from Castle Black, Last Hearth is the furthest settlement North.

Which means it's cold, there's very little crops and most of the time the domesticated animals die due to the harsh conditions.

Not to mention the wildling raiders that are a constant threat.

With all this happening...manners and politeness are very low on everybody's list. And this just carries over when people of House Umber, or their vassals, interact with people of other places. I guess you could say that people where I'm from think everyone cares as little as they do about etiquette.

I, on the other hand, understand that quite a few Houses, even in the North, appreciate good etiquette. Especially from younger people.

I guess you could say I'm trying my best to make a good first impression. It doesn't cost me anything either. In fact, it only benefits me to be polite to the people who are going to be putting food on the table for me.

"Lady Catelyn," I asked, gaining the attention of the beautiful older woman, "I don't mean to be more trouble than I already am...but may I have some food prepared? On the journey here I could only have rations alongside the rare find of wild game. Most of which had to be shared with my guards. So, I'm quite hungry..." I let out an embarrassed laugh with a matching smile when I thought about how I'd lost most of that roasted pig to Harmond who used his superior size to hold me back while he devoured nearly half the pig himself while laughing.

Hearing me, Lady Catelyn gave a motherly smile before chuckling behind her hand, "Of course. We can have an extra large breakfast prepared for you, Alaric," she looked down at me with kind blue eyes and I counted my lucky stars that I hadn't gotten on her bad side. Look at how it turned out for Jon Snow and Theon Greyjoy. If you upset the Lady of the Castle...you're pretty screwed, honestly.

Thanking the Lady with a smile of gratitude, I continued to follow her through the stone halls of Winterfell and I began to wonder just how many people had walked through these halls like I am right now.

Each stone that made up the floor and the walls had signs of battle or signs of erosion...so much history in a single hall.

Smiling to myself, I found it in me that once a history buff...always a history buff. Even if now I was also a bit of a battle maniac - though I blame that on my unique genetics. Guts mixed with an Ackerman...there was no way I was ever going to be completely normal. Guess I just have to count my lucky stars that I'm as normal as I am.

Anyway, taking my eye away from the walls and their visual history, I found that we'd come to the end of the hall and were now at a door. Taking the lead, I opened the door and kept it open for Lady Catelyn who smiled, "A little gentleman, aren't you? A surprising young lad, as well."

"Would you care to elaborate, Lady Catelyn?" I asked, trying to make conversation and wondering what else she thought about me.

"I hope you don't take any offense to this as the young lord of House Umber...but you're truly nothing like them," Catelyn smiled as she continued to speak, "You show manners and more gentlemanly qualities than I've seen in any other Umber. I and my husband thought we'd have a handful with you, Alaric...yet you've truly surprised us."

"Hopefully a good surprise, Lady Catelyn," I laughed.

"Of course," she answered with a smile, "If anything, I'd like to ask you to pass on some of your manners to my eldest son, Robb," she spoke with a tone full of love when she mentioned Robb and I guess the books and the show weren't lying when they spoke about how much she loved her children.

But ignoring such thoughts, I replied, "I'll try my best, Lady Catelyn," I gave a nod but before Lady Catelyn could reply, another voice cut us off.

"Mother!" a childish pair of voices came from in front of us and two children rushed to Lady Catelyn, hugging her. One was a young boy, no older than 4-years-old and the other was an equally young girl who looked around 5 or 6-years-old. The young boy seemed to take after Lady Catelyn and considering what he just called her, she was his mother and he was most likely Brandon Stark. Auburn hair and deep blue eyes - just like any other Tully. The girl, however, had brown hair so dark it was nearly black and grey eyes that many people of the North had in common with one another.

I'd take a guess and say this is Arya Stark.

Both of the children pulled back from hugging their mother and curiously looked over at me in my thick fur and leathers. Bran seemed the more curious of the two and seemed to be holding himself back from asking question after question. No doubt because his mother was here.

"You two, welcome our guest. This Alaric Umber - he's to be living with us for the next few years," Lady Catelyn introduced me and gave a look to her children which kicked them into action.

With etiquette most highborns learn, Bran stepped forward and gave a clumsy bow while Arya gave a reluctant and clumsy curtsy. Waving it off, I gave Bran a slap on the shoulder that nearly sent him to the ground, I gave him a wide smile, "No need for any etiquette. Though, your names would be appreciated!"

"B-Brandon! My name's Brandon but most people call me Bran!" Bran was a mixture of excitement and nervousness, so his introduction came out like bullets from a machine gun. But I managed and gave him a nod in return.

Turning to Arya, I saw her avert her gaze, seeming shy at having to meet a new person, "Arya Stark..." she spoke in a voice barely audible and Lady Catelyn gave me an apologetic look before adding to her daughter's introduction.

"I apologize, Alaric - Arya can be a bit shy with new people," she laughed before rubbing Arya's back in a comforting gesture. I just gave an understanding nod before looking at where the two children had come from. Two youths were clashing with wooden swords and I found myself smiling as I watched them fight.

One had auburn hair and Tully blue eyes like Bran and Lady Catelyn, while the other one had dark brown hair and grey eyes so dark they almost looked black. The former was no doubt Robb Stark, first born of Eddard Stark, and the latter was Eddard Stark's only bastard Jon Snow.

Off to the side of the two sparring children was a lean youth who was smirking while watching the two of them. Like he was privy to a joke no one else could see or understand.

...Honestly, that smirk is already pissing me off.

Obviously, this last youth is Theon Greyjoy. Youngest born of Balon Greyjoy the man who is the Lord of the Iron Islands and Head of House Greyjoy. The smirking boy has black hair and dark brown eyes, and seemed like he would grow to be an attractive man - but for now, he was just a snotty nosed brat.

Deciding I should make my appearance, I walked toward the sparring duo and the smirking observer. I wonder if I should show them just how little they know about fighting?