"I don't see the point if I don't like it. What I enjoy doing doesn't involve sewing. I like fighting and running. I don't want to be a lady." Arya said to her friend and guardian, Roanoa. The now 15 year old shook her head at the young girl, "We can't always get what we want, Arya. My mother taught me a lesson very much just like the one you are learning."

Arya wrinkled her little face at her companion, a scoff pushing past her lips, "What lesson? I'm not learning anything except for how much I hate sewing and dresses." Roa laughed and held her finished dress away from herself. "The lesson is, to be a proper woman, you should be able to fight amongst the mightiest, the most ruthless men. But, you should also be able to hold your head high as the most proper amongst ladies. A proper woman can adapt to any environment. To any role. That, is the lesson. You can not be only one, Arya. Don't be a lady. Be a woman."

The girl smirked as she let the words sink in, though her older sister was quite sick of everyone 'babying' Arya. "You know, you don't have to coddle her. Arya, you have to behave like a lady because you are a lady. If you'd complain a little less, the oh-so-hard task of threading might be easier to tolerate." Sansa said, her little nose up in the air as she told her sister off. Arya wrinkled her nose at her sister and huffed, deciding to forget what Sansa said and instead try to do the memory of Roanoa's mother proud.

*     *     *     *     *

"But what if I hit you? Then I will feel awful." Bran said, lowering his bow and arrow for the thousandth time since he'd been training with Roa. The girl rolled her eyes and lowered the target she was holding in her hands. "I'm sure Lady Catelyn would prefer that you accidentally shot me than you slip while climbing. I can always heal. Now come on Bran, if you practice enough, you could even surpass your brothers and Theon in their skill." She said, seducing the boy with the idea of finally beating his brothers.

That proposal made the young wolf's eyes brighten with hope. "You really think I could get better than Robb? And Jon?" Roa nodded, but before she could speak, the three boys turned the corner and made themselves known. "I don't know if you could quite beat me, Bran, but I'm sure that in no time, you will have beaten Jon and Theon in archery and so much more." Robb said, ruffling his younger brother's dark locks.

Bran put his hair back into place and walked over to Roanoa. "Roa says I can be better than all of you." Theon doesn't stand for this though. Laughing, he trailed the young wolf to the other outsider. "Roa told you? Little Roanoa doesn't know anything about anything, Bran." Theon said, circling the girl and examining her in his prowling. "Why, she doesn't even know how to wear her pants right." He said, a little too close to her face for the space to be considered 'friendly'. Robb laughed, but Jon just glared at the older boy, his advances on the children's set guardian making him uncomfortable.

The princess was not one to be pushed around, though. With her shoulders squared and a smirk set firmly on her face, Roa turned so she was chest to chest with the Iron-born. "Actually, Greyjoy, I altered them so they could fit me to my liking. And apparently yours too seeing as they have caught your attention so."

Theon's eyebrows quirked. This wasn't the first time he and the fierce young woman had flirted, and on his watch, it wouldn't be their last. "You've grown to be quite the lady, Roa. I'm sure you've caught everyone's attention." Jon answered instead of Roanoa this time. "Why don't you two get a room already." He said, getting fed up with their back and forth. Maybe if it had been a different girl he wouldn't mind. Or even if it hadn't been Theon, he'd have felt better, but the two together was a perfect recipe for disgust if anyone was to ask the Stark bastard. And for that exact reason, no one would.

"Jon is exactly right. Theon, maybe you should go pay Ros's room another visit so I can finish teaching Bran to wield his bow." Roa's comment made the boys' mouths drop open. "I think that will be enough putting Theon in his place for one day. Good luck, Bran, you have a great teacher. Ro, remember what time dinner is today. I think mom is starting to believe that you're just avoiding us." Roanoa laughed before waving the boys off, though in a way, she was avoiding their mother. Not that sweet, mother-loving Robb would ever hear of it.

*     *     *     *     *

Jon walked into the dining hall after he was sure everyone had left. Robb made the joke about avoiding his mother, but Jon truly was. He jumped in surprise when he looked up from his broodish walking to find Roa still sat at the table. "What... Um, what are you still doing here? I thought dinner was over." Jon said, not bothering to mask his surprise in any way. Roa lifted her shoulder in a shrug as she gestured to the plate across from her own, "No one deserves to eat alone. Not even a bastard."

Hesitantly, Jon sat down in the seat. He wasn't exactly comfortable with the company's keeper, but he was a bit happy to be keeping company. As he silently ate, Jon snuck glances at Roanoa. She wasn't filling the silence or trying to conceal the sound of her chewing in case he tried to talk, she just sat and ate, as if she and Jon always ate meals together in silence.

Roa caught one of Jon's glances and tossed him a smile in return. It surprise him. Not like Roa had never smiled at him before, but this was just a bit different. Now they were alone and she was smiling at him, and he almost smiled back, but instead, Jon finished his dinner and went to bed to dissect the meaning behind the smile. It was small and normal, but also just for him, and maybe that meant something, even if he'd never make it known.