The rest of the meal was spent slowly and in a heavy climate. The only sound that sometimes broke the uncomfortable silence was the clink of silverware hitting the plates, the sound of life outside, and small conversations between the occupants. The older members of the Stark family and the Greyjoy boy had extremely tight bodies of tension, and the food now tasted bitter and seemed to be hard to swallow.

The younger children didn't seem to understand what had happened, they only knew that Theon and Lady Peverell had had a little conversation, or perhaps a disagreement and that for some reason their parents seemed angry.

The truth is that Theon disrespected a guest, a noble lady, and friend of the wolf family and, as such, all the wrong acts committed by him were also committed by the Starks, since he was protected from Winterfell. While some found Amalthea's words somewhat pretentious or out of order, they had no intention of offending the last Peverell and dishonoring their own family. This was the case of the matriarch, who was Southern style and that was what she wanted to teach her daughters to be as well - kind, quiet, supportive and obedient to their parents and their future husbands - and not the ideas that the other girl seemed to have to determine what it was like to be a woman.

However, Catelyn couldn't deny that some things that Thea had said was true: such as the evil in the hearts of certain men who saw women as a means to an end.

With everything in mind, Theon remained as still as a mouse, sulking in his place beside the other two boys who didn't speak to him during the rest of the meal. Knowing that he would later be greatly reprimanded for his actions, he didn't say another word and continued to eat the eggs that for the first time in his life they tasted bitterly, with fury in his eyes. Lord Stark was a man who did not tolerate any dishonorable act, whether that act was against a mere farmer or a well-born Lady, and his wards behavior would not go unpunished.

Kadeem kept silent once more, with mixed feelings... he was angry at the disrespect that, that human (Thea didn't like him to yield to the prejudiced teachings of the Black family and offend muggles, even if they sometimes deserved it) showed to his lady... and at the same time, he was extremely proud of Sirius' goddaughter and the way she was not silenced. Kreacher was sure that his beloved master Regulus would have liked to have met Amalthea Potter.

In fact, Thea herself was in no way bothered during the rest of the meal. In fact, she was quite satisfied. She knew that she had said too much after her little speech, and she also knew that in that world and time women's rights was not something that was addressed, maybe she shouldn't have said anything... But that presumptuous boy was quick to get her blood, boiling it seemed to bubble up like rivers of lava running through her body and filling her with fury. Seeing the arrogant smile fall from his was the best part of that morning, and the contentment would follow her for the rest of the day. However, Thea was aware that she would have to be careful with what she said, and with the tone she spoke.

She was a strong and independent woman, knowledgeable in the magic arts, a fighter, and a justice... But even so, she was a woman in a world of men, and if there was one thing that men feared it was a woman they couldn't control. For now, Amalthea would try to keep a low profile - if that were even possible since her name was already in every mouth in every corner of Winterfell.

Finally, after breakfast was over, Lord Stark suggested, for some reason, that his heir would show his guests around Winterfell. Why his son and not another servant they didn't know, but perhaps Eddard thought that the winter land should be presented by a Stark.

"As I said earlier, you will always have a place here and you will be able to stay for as long as necessary. As such, it will be wise for you to visit my home, my Lady. Robb will take care of your guided tour." These were his words.

His son didn't object, in fact, he seemed quite satisfied while his bastard brother exchanged glances with him. The truth is that Robb knew that he would have to spend the rest of the day listening to complaints from his friend Theon, and since he was now busy with the guests, Jon Snow would be in charge of listening to him. Spending a few moments with a beautiful young woman (and her guardian) didn't seem like a bad thing.

Who wasn't satisfied at all with this arrangement was little Arya, the wolf-blooded girl, wild in her little body despite her voice sounding like a giant when she said: "But I also want to go." When her mother told her that she couldn't because in a few moments she would have a singing class, and in the afternoon a sewing one, she said: "I don't want to spend the day closed in a room with Sansa and the other stupid girls! Why I can't go with them?"

The girl only calmed down when Thea promised that she would join her in the sewing class, and in a whisper, she also said that later on she might be able to show her Soteira, her ancestral sword, but only if she behaved. Lady Catelyn's look was appraising, but maybe it would have been different if she knew what was whispered.

And with that they all went about their daily business and Thea, Robb and Kadeem passed through the massive oak doors of the Great Hall, being greeted once again by the cold morning wind.

The people, seeing Winterfell's heir pass by, were quick to interrupt their tasks for a few seconds in order to greet their Lord's eldest son and the two strangers who had given so much to speak of. When they were already far away out of reach, they turned to each other and whispered. So they would spend the rest of the day, exchanging words in the middle of work, very intrigued by those two.

Robb did a really good job as a guide, he showed the various points of interest and told part of its story.

They went first to the First Keep, the oldest part connected to the castle, a low and square structure. Wolf's head gargoyles snarled overhead at any threat that tried to approach. In its surroundings was an old cemetery where the ancient Kings of Winter, dead for hundreds of years, they buried their most reliable and loyal servants.

The Broken Tower, which followed, was exactly as the name indicated, broken. It was an extremely tall, thin, and circular structure, of cold gray stone, with windows here and there, and at the top a huge peeled hole. It was completely eaten by time, and just as their gaze stretched upward, a stone shifted, falling and rolling, breaking as it descended. The noise was enough to make the dozens of crows that inhabited the tower fly, disappearing into the air in the middle of a sea of ​​dark feathers and indignant squawks. Over a hundred years ago, the structure was struck by lightning, which caused a huge fire, destroying it, and also giving it the name Burned Tower.

Robb showed them a small sept which was a gift offered by Lord Stark to Lady Catelyn, as she followed a different religion from that of the Northmen, who were devoted to the Ancient Gods. Seven stone figures looked at them with dull eyes and empty expressions, three were male (the Father, the Warrior, and the Smith), three were female (the Mother, the Maiden, and the Crone) and one who was neither one nor the other, represented there as a skeletal and non-human being. In a way, the Stranger reminded her of the hooded and black-winged figure she saw.

Then they went to the Glass Garden, a beautiful greenhouse that was an ocean of colors due to all the vegetables, fruits, and flowers that were grown there. It was a hot and humid structure heated by hot springs and left the faces of the three shining with sweat. The scent of jasmine, orchids, and roses filled their noses pleasantly, and Robb surprised Thea by going to one corner of the greenhouse and offering her a rose he picked up.

"Here, my Lady..." Said the copper-haired man, carefully removing the thorns from the thin green stem with a silver dagger that he kept with him, and handing her the small flower in his larger hands, with the tip of his ears red from embarrassment.

Amalthea had stood looking at him in astonishment for a few seconds, looking at his face and at the flower that was offered to her. The rose was beautiful and delicate, and the petals were painted a shade of royal blue, even more blue than his eyes. "Oh, I..." she exclaimed, stunned, not knowing what to say. It was a beautiful and gentlemanly gesture, but it was an unexpected and somewhat pleasant act. It had been a polite little action and a nice attempt to make her feel welcome to Winterfell.

When was the last time someone offered her flowers? In her mind was a vivid image of Fred, with his fiery hair kissed by the fire, with a bouquet of white lilies in his hands, and a mischievous smile on his freckled and passionate face. Thea had been happy then, extremely happy before... before his death. The young woman's heart sank painfully and she wished to summon his spirit to see him, to remember...

Robb Stark continued to speak, despite Amalthea's silence: "They were my aunt's favorite roses." He commented looking at her in the green eyes that shone sadly with memories unknown to him. "I hope you like it."

The girl forced herself to smile.

"It's beautiful." Thea confessed, taking the flower that was now handed to her in a sweet gesture. Their hands touched slightly and she felt the warmth of Robb's skin on her own. She raised the rose to her nose and smelled the soft, exquisite smell that it emanated. "Thank you very much, my Lord, you are very kind."

"Can I?" Robb gestured something and when Amalthea returned the flower to him, with all the delicacy of the world the young man placed it in her dark and wild hair, looking at her weirdly making her a little uncomfortable. Did she have something on her face? Was he looking at the few freckles that dotted her nose, or was he looking at the ugly scar on her forehead? Thea knew too well that that damn thing had always been a point of interest for everyone.

A slight scratching of a throat, coming from Kreacher who was watching, interrupted them.

Quickly, the three then left the Glass Garden to visit an underground site that the Stark heir said was the Crypts. Robb opened a slanted door made of solid wood, took a torch that burned a meter away and without further ado he entered, followed by Thea and Kadeem, in the reigning darkness. They descended and descended, always attentive to each small step of the spiral stairs that led them further and further below the ground. When there were no more stairs to go down (in fact there were still a few more, Robb explained that there was a deeper area, but that he would show them at another more appropriate time), they found themselves in a complex and cavernous place, lit by so many others torches and candles that burned here and there in red and orange light, forming shadows around them.

"This way." Indicated Robb, moving forward on a narrow path, with several stone pillars along its length.

Stone faces watched them, men of severe and majestic appearance were sitting on thrones every few meters, with ferocious giant wolves carved in the rock at their feet. Each figure had an iron sword on their knees, some already rusted and eaten by time. Robb was then saying their names: Brandon the Builder; Jon Stark and his son, Rickard, who succeeded him; Theon, the Hungry Wolf, one Edrick, another Brandon, and finally the one she already knew minimally... Torrhen Stark, the King-Who-Knelt.

This one Thea watched more carefully than the others, examining the features from his long face, from his wavy stone hair to the crown that adorned his temples. It was this king who had once found her ancestor alone in the snow, who dressed and fed him, who sold Moat Cailin, the house she wanted to rebuild and who became a good friend and confidant of Harlan Peverell. For some reason that she couldn't explain the statue of Torrhen seemed more sympathetic than all the others. Seeing her interest and her continued gaze, Robb commented: "While all the other kings of Westeros were fighting the invasion of Aegon and his sisters and losing thousands of lives in the dragon fire, Torrhen bent his knee, rested his crown at the Conqueror's feet and spared his people a painful death by the flames."

They abandoned the old Kings of Winter to their silent reign and went to three statues that, instead of sitting on thrones, were standing imposingly, striking in that darkness. The one in the middle was that of an older and rough-looking man, flanked by a younger man who had lines of laughter etched on his stone face and a maiden with long hair, with a rather sad expression on her beautiful and forever immortal face. They were also accompanied by wolves, the two men had their hands wrapped in long iron swords and the girl was holding beautiful blue roses like the one Thea had in her hair, still fresh and which looked as if it had just been picked.

Robb looked at those statues sadly but he decided not to say anything and seeing that it was a delicate matter, the other two made no questions. Then they left the darkness and the heavy air. Winterfell's heir returned the torch to its proper place and closed the door behind him.

"There is one more place to show you." Said Robb, once again extending his arm to the lady beside him as they walked.

The place he wanted to show was not far, in fact in a few minutes they arrived and after opening a cast-iron gate, the stone and walls gave way to trees and more trees, until at last they were surrounded by trunks, branches, and green leaves up there.

"What is this place?" Amalthea questioned, while beside her Kadeem scanned every corner with his eyes for any sign of danger.

"The Godswood. It's just a little further ahead, what I want to show you is not far away. "

The trees grew very close to each other, which created a dense set of tops that hid the sun, trying selfishly to keep the heat and light for themselves. Everything around it was painted in shades of green and brown, from grass and earth to wood and leaves. They left that concentration only to find themselves in an open place, with a lake of black water and one of the most beautiful trees that Thea had ever seen - and she had seen a lot, counting on the violent Whomping Willow at Hogwarts and so many others.

The weirwood was huge and broad, with bone-white branches and five-pointed red leaves. Its colors were beautiful, the wood strong and massive, the leaves looking very healthy. And it was old, very old, Thea knew it... she could feel it when she moved away from Robb and Kadeem, and she got closer and closer to that magnificent tree. For some reason the hissing of the wind was silenced, the birds' song too, even Robb's voice was getting lower when he said: "It's the Heart Tree, it is believed that the old gods watch over us through it."

A face was facing Amalthea when she was in front of the tree, a few inches away. Engraved on the ivory-white trunk were two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and wrinkles in the sad expression that the face seemed to have. Red sap slid through both eyes like fat tears of blood, like tears made with the essence of life.

The air crackled around her in a different way, the gentle wind caressed her face with something that seemed familiar and something that felt warm and good. Small shocks of electricity ran down the length of her body when, at last, she reached out and touched her right hand to the rough bark of the tree, feeling its roughness on her skin.

Everything became silent around her then, except the magic and the voices...

"Traveler..." Seemed to whisper some voices, one over the others, some old and some young in her ears, in her mind, around her.

"You've arrived..."

"We were waiting for you..."

"Woman from another world..."

"Savior..."

"You are ours now, we will look after you..."

"And you will look after us."

What? She wanted to question, scared. Who are you? What do you want? How do you know such things about me? She thought she had opened her mouth to speak, prepared her voice to ask them several questions when her body was suddenly shaken with force, and she finally opened her green eyes that she didn't know she had closed. Kreacher and Robb were looking at her with concern when the old man shook her and woke her up from whatever had kept her out of reality for a few minutes.

"Are you all right, my Lady?" Kreacher asked nervously, also looking at the tree that didn't release Thea's gaze. He was pale, the color seemed to have drained from his face, and his voice was shaking.

"Yes..." Whispered Amalthea. Can you feel it? she wanted to ask him.

Kadeem finally loosened his grip on her right shoulder, and let his arms fall to either side of his old body. He seemed to know exactly what she meant to say because his response was a nod, as he looked at her in amazement with touches of fear in his clear eyes.

He feels it too but he's scared. Did he hear what I heard? Did he feel the warmth in his veins or the comfort in his soul, just like I did? Did they speak to him? Who are they? What do they want? Why don't they say anything now that I need answers? Thought the young woman who had heard the voices of the dead before on several occasions, but never anything like that. She wanted to talk to them, listen to their words again, relieve her doubts and curiosity.

She felt Robb's heavy gaze on her when he examined all her features on her face, with a frown. The reddish curls contrasted with the white of the tree, as well as the sap of the carved face that kept crying.

What are you? Talk to me, she thought... but the big tree did not answer.

Getting rid of her thoughts as best she could, Thea then said: "It's beautiful... I don't think I ever set eyes on a tree more beautiful than this one."

"Yes, it is..." Robb agreed, still worried. "Are you alright, my Lady? You didn't move or answer for a few minutes."

Thea smiled in disguise, wanting to calm him and herself. "I was just amazed for a moment, that's all. I'm fine."

The young woman looked around, trying to think of something that would make him forget her strange behavior. She found her goal, took off her shoes in a gesture that was by no means something a lady of high birth would do, she sat by the lake and dipped her feet in the dark water. Robb remained in his place, shocked to look at her with curiosity and amusement, and when he saw that Kadeem had moved away to lean against a tree with a piece of wood in his hand that he was playing nervously, Robb decided to join the woman. It wasn't as if his mother or father were there to scold him for his behavior.

He also took off the boots that he wore day, rolled up the hem of his pants, sat on Thea's left, and dipped his feet in the cold water.

"Usually this is not something I would do, especially with a lady." He said.

Beside him Amalthea laughed, she let her hands and arms support her weight and leaned back, face up and eyes closed enjoying the moment. "Do not worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you then, because hearing my mother scold me for my behavior is not on my to-do list today."

Even without seeing it, she heard his smile in his voice and she laughed in amusement. They remained silent for a few moments, enjoying the wind and the earthy smell that enveloped them, the melody of the birds, the sunlight through the branches of the trees...

"It is peaceful here." She commented looking at Robb.

He nodded, looking at the water he was playing with. "My father likes to come here to reflect."

"I can see the appeal, this place is silent... it lets us think, whether in the future or the past."

And she found herself thinking of another place far away, another world. Would her friends be alright? What were they doing now? Did they miss her as much as she missed them? Teddy, Thea almost cried. My dear Teddy, I wish to have you here with me. I love you, please forgive me... Please don't hate me!

Robb made a low and calm sound in his throat, looking at a white rabbit that sniffed something with its small nose and that ran away when it heard his voice: "On the other side of the forest there are underground hot springs, it is three small divisions of hot water if you are curious to see. There are those who swim or bathe there."

Thea thought about that for a moment, leaving the memory of the turquoise-haired baby. It would be interesting to see this place that the boy talked about, but she felt at peace there, beside the lake and the huge weirwood with its beautiful red leaves like a thousand hands full of blood. She didn't want to leave, nor did she want to get up.

"Maybe later, if you don't mind." She said moving her neck and listening to the satisfying cracking of the bone, that she felt stuck due to all the days full of tension. "Can we stay here for a few more minutes?"

"I don't see why not." Robb looked at the sky, seeing the position of the sun, and calculating the hours. "We still have time before we have to go back for lunch."

"Great." Said Thea.

Thea's lips parted in a big and bright smile, her cheeks flushed with happiness. The Stark boy returned the smile. She looked at Kadeem, seeing the old man carving something on the piece of wood in his hands with a small knife, very serene but attentive to their conversation and any danger. It was Thea who gave him that knife, it belonged to the Black family and surprisingly, for the first time, it was not a dark or cursed object. Kadeem - or Kreacher, as he still liked to be called that because despite having a new name in that world, he would forever be Kreacher, the house-elf, he deserved small rewards for his loyalty, service, and companionship.

"What are you doing there, Kadeem? Join us, the water is wonderful even if a little cold."

Kreacher raised his head and said: "I appreciate the invitation, my Lady, but I'm fine here."

Thea was unmoved by the rejection and looked at the work the old man had at hand. "What are you carving?"

"Oh, it's just an experiment." It looked like he blushed for a moment. "I do not know yet what it will be."

"I will be delighted to see the result, then. I have no talent for wood carving, but if you need me I will try to help." She continued.

Kreacher thanked her, smiled, and went back to playing with the knife.

When Thea turned her face to Robb, she saw that he was already looking at her intently, with something warm in the pale blue of his eyes and a smile on his face. She splashed her feet absently. Clap, clap, clap, was the sound made by the disturbance in the water.

"How long do you plan to stay in Winterfell, my Lady?" Robb asked.

Amalthea shrugged under the watchful eye of the young man beside her, who wondered what her mother would think in her different ways for a woman of high birth. "I don't know, honestly. As long as your father allows me, I suppose."

"I understand." He replied. "My father and Maester Luwin said that you lived in Essos before you decided to come here..."

The Potter heiress smiled amusedly: "Do you know everything that has already been said about me?"

It was clear that he felt ashamed because of the way his body shrank with tension, and his ears and cheeks caught fire. "Forgive me."

"You have not offended me in any way, my Lord, it is normal to be curious. I myself am about you."

"Are you really?" He opened his eyes wide.

"Well, of course... Tell me, what was it like growing up with so many siblings?"

Robb Stark thought for a while, thinking about it. "Well, as I am the oldest and the heir to my House, I suppose that more responsibility fell on my shoulders, since my behavior has to be right and make sure that my brothers behave the same. Not that I care, I love my siblings, it was great to grow up with them and I will always take care of them. What about you?"

"My parents were not blessed with any other children besides me. When I was younger I wanted someone next to me every night, a brother or sister to talk to and play with. I had no brothers, but I had wonderful friends who were as good as." Thea replied simply.

"Oh!" Exclaimed the young man beside her, curious. "Tell me about them, if it is not uncomfortable."

It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was sad to think about them and how she would never see them again.

"Well..." Began Amalthea, closing her eyes and traveling to the past in her mind. She could see them all smiling and laughing, having a good and warm time. "I met my first friend when I was ten and one. Ronald is a fire-haired boy, loyal and sympathetic to a flaw but with a temper that can sometimes be unpleasant, I suppose. Then came Hermione with a wildness of brown hair that she never managed to tame and warm brown eyes full of wisdom, the smartest girl I've ever met. There's also Luna, this girl is a blonde angel, as pretty and pale as the moon, and as gentle and different as a fairy or forest nymph. Neville is a good friend, with dark hair and a round face, almost a brother in everything but blood, so dear and courageous... although he can be very clumsy, he is able to trip over his own feet on level ground." They both laughed at his words, wondering.

> "There is also Ron's family, which was partly my second family too, and like you he has many siblings, all with red hair like him. He has a sister named Ginevra and the names of his brothers are William, Charles, Percy, George, and..." She was suddenly silent, the word stuck in her throat. She didn't want to show weakness to the other, she didn't want to show any weakness to anyone... but the subject was too painful. "And Fred. George and Fred are twins."

Robb hummed thoughtfully, drinking her words like water. "They all look very interesting and friendly." He did not touch the point that seemed sensitive, and Thea thanked him internally for it.

"And they are." Thea agreed.

"Did they... stay in Essos?"

"Yes. They have their own lives, I couldn't ask them to follow me blindly to another country." To another world, she thought. "It would be selfish on my part after they have already given me a lot and helped me so much."

Robb seemed to understand perfectly what she was saying. "I understand, my Lady."

My Lady, Lady Peverell, Lady Amalthea... She was tired of so much formality, but there was nothing she could do to change that for now.

They remained silent for a while, listening to the hiss of the wind between the leaves, and the lives of the few animals around them. Thea played with the water, feeling its coldness on the skin of her feet and hands. When she tried to see the bottom of the lake, she only saw darkness.

"Your friend Theon doesn't seem to like me very much." She commented absently.

Robb's face became serious and somewhat afraid, when he seemed to want to avoid her gaze and that conversation. "Theon is a... complicated person."

"My words and actions seem to have offended him." Amalthea continued, seeing what the Winterfell heir would have to say in defense of his friend.

"I would not say that any offense was committed, but he has an idea of what the attitudes and behaviors of a typical Westeros woman are. Forgive him, however, if he has offended you in any way, Lady Peverell."

"And what are these typical woman's attitudes?" She wanted to know, raising a questioning black eyebrow.

Robb's shoulders found his ears when he flinched: "Well... we have always been taught that no woman should know how to handle a sword, dagger or bow. That they should be refined and feminine." The poor boy seemed to want to get out of there immediately.

Thea smiled, however. "Really? And who taught you that?"

"Everyone."

"And who taught them?"

Robb thought for a while. "The world, I suppose."

"I understand." The dark-haired, green-eyed woman looked at him with amusement. "Your younger sister seems very interested in my sword, however."

He seemed relieved and happy to be talking about something else. "Arya is a wild little thing, she wants to learn to fight but doesn't understand that she will never be allowed to."

Thea made a questioning sound: "And if one day she finds herself alone and perhaps she is attacked, and because of your idea of what a woman can or cannot do, she cannot defend herself?"

"No one will harm any of my sisters in Winterfell." Robb Stark looked almost angry just thinking about the hypothesis.

"What if they are not here?" Asked the Potter heiress.

"Where would they be?" When he spoke again, it was in his heavily accented Northern accent.

"Well..." She started with another shrug and carefulness. "The daughters of great lords are born and grow up to make treaties for their parents... Whether it is to join other houses to the family, or the desire of the great dowry, that is what they are created for. One day they will leave to get married and then, how do you know that they will not be defenseless or that they will not suffer with their husbands?"

The young man with the coppery hair was suddenly pale, and his blue eyes for the first time looked empty. He bit his lower lip with concern. He said nothing, but words were not necessary... Thea knew that he had never thought about it, nor had he ever been taught to do so. He certainly believed that his sisters' future husbands would treat them with all the love and respect in the world, but how could he know? How could he guarantee such a thing, when one day he would be Lord of Winterfell and his sisters would be miles and miles away, scattered around the world?

Amalthea then decided to change the subject and let the young wolf reflect on that later. "Tell me more about your home."

And so time passed with small talk between them. When they realized, it was already time to go back because it was time for lunch to be served. They joined Kadeem once more, who during all that time had been leaning against that tree carving, and he grudgingly and quite shyly showed his Mistress his work: it was a rose, with slight angular edges instead of smooth curves, but it was still a work in progress and was going in the right direction. The old man told her that he was inspired by the blue rose that Thea brought on her beautiful hair, and that if it wasn't too much presumption, he would like her to accept it when it is finished. Amalthea was extremely touched by the gesture, she thanked him, and said that she would appreciate the gift with all her heart.

Lunch came and went quickly, and Thea was forced to keep her promise to accompany Arya to her sewing class. Not that they were able to concentrate too much on the lesson, the younger girl kept talking and asking questions: "Where did you go?", "What did Robb show you?", "Did you like it, my lady?", "This is so boring!" and of course, "Can you show me your sword, later?"

Thea laughed silently, with the knowledge that she was the target of close attention from the female figures that occupied that room. She concentrated herself on the white handkerchief she was embroidering while answering Arya's questions, but in the end, she noticed that the figure was curiously taking the form of a little Snitch, and then under the suspicious look of Septa Mordane (who was old, with a wrinkled and bony face, with sharp eyes and a pursed mouth) she embroidered a golden sun instead of the magical object that her subconscious seemed to want to create.

They were also accompanied by a girl named Jeyne Poole, daughter of Winterfell's steward, who was laughing and whispering to Sansa across the room. Jeyne was beautiful, with smooth features, brown eyes, and dark hair, and seemed to be the best friend of the other Stark girl.

Beside her Arya cringed each time she pricked a finger and was the target of more giggles from the other two, and a frustrated look from Septa. She sucked the blood bubble and sighed... a sigh that seemed too resigned and sad.

"Do not worry." Thea said in a whisper, seeing this.

"I will never succeed, I don't know why I try. They laugh at me and I still have to keep going even when I don't want to." The girl's voice trembled, and her clear eyes were filled with tears that she insisted on not dropping.

Amalthea's heart heaved at the sight of her little sad face, and she gave the two girls a stern look. Sansa seemed suddenly shy enough, while Jeyne looked confused by her companion's complete silence.

"Look at mine..." The last Peverell showed her the fabric.

"It looks beautiful, my lady."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes."

"Well, if you notice carefully my stitches are very uneven, here and here. There too. Can you see it? This was supposed to be completely round to resemble a sun, but it is too angular. And you know... There is no problem with that."

Arya saw in Thea's embroidery all the defects she pointed out. She looked at her own who must have been a wolf but looked more like an animal never seen before, with uneven legs and a flattened snout.

"There isn't?" She asked timidly.

"No." Amalthea assured. "We aren't all good at everything."

"But I have to be. Everyone wants that, but I'm not good enough. Embroidering is stupid, just like singing or dancing!"

"What are you good at, then?"

"I..." Arya seemed to think for a second. "I think I'm good with numbers and history, but what is the use of that?"

Thea smiled softly at her. "Mathematics is very important, and one day when you are the lady of a castle, you will need to know how many men you have at your service, how much money you will have, and how much you can spend on food and supplies, for example. And history is the basis of life. It is good to know our past, where we came from, and what we did, to know who are the allies and enemies of our house through the documents of history."

"I suppose so." Arya replied hesitantly, pondering the words that were said. "But..." She looked at her work again, unhappy.

Thea asked Septa Mordane for a new handkerchief, who looked at her curiously, and handed it to a confused Arya. "Do not be afraid to try again, only practice leads to perfection, try to start with something easier like a simple flower or your name. And if you fail, then try again. There is no shame in that."

She saw that the others tried to be discreet but that they also heard her words. And for the first time in a class she was always so upset about, Arya smiled and concentrated herself intensely on her sewing, determined and knowing that if she failed, she could try again.

Meanwhile outside the castle there was the sound of wood hitting wood. In the training yard, three young male figures battled each other, spinning and dodging each other's attacks. They were Robb Stark, Theon Greyjoy and the bastard, Jon Snow.

"I cannot believe that I was scolded in this way by your father. Do you know how long I stayed in that room, listening to him talk to me about my inappropriate behavior?" Theon said, charging at Robb while Jon stayed away, drinking water.

"Give thanks to the Gods for not being my mother instead." Said the heir of Winterfell.

Theon visibly trembled, imagining that possibility. "Yes, I would still be there if it had been Lady Catelyn."

The other two laughed out loud, and Robb invested this time and was quickly blocked.

"The way that woman spoke to me..." The Greyjoy boy commented, angry and disgusted when he remembered what had happened. His face already red from physical exertion, turned scarlet, and sweat ran down his forehead in fat drops. "Who does she think she is? A woman talking like that..."

"Stop." Robb warned him, managing to dodge the sword coming from his left, and striking the right side of Theon's torso, which later would surely leave a dark mark. This one swore in frustration and paused, going to drink water as well. Robb watched him still in his place, breathing heavily.

"Something I can not deny is your previous words." Theon commented between sips: "She is really beautiful as you said. Now her manners and the ugly scar that disfigures her forehead..." After a while, he stopped to think and licked his lips in an ugly and disgusting gesture. "Although something like this is easy to ignore if we are in bed with her. Did you see that chest? There were moments when I couldn't look away."

"Don't talk like that! She is a lady of noble blood and invited by my father, don't disrespect her." Scolded the copper-haired man.

"I don't say anything that is not true." Theon refuted. "The scar is curious, however, not many would show such disfigurement on the skin with such pride. Her hair is long enough to hide, but she doesn't. Most women would cry with disgust and hide their faces with shame."

Jon spoke for the first time since that topic was addressed. "I do not think Lady Peverell would shed tears at a mere scar, if everything Lord Stark told us is true."

"The scar is barely repairable." Robb defended his brother.

Seeing that he was practically being attacked on both sides, Theon turned to Jon, who was looking at him sternly. "And what do you know, bastard? It's not like women ever talk to you."

Jon didn't speak. He pursed his lips in a severe line and narrowed his eyes with furrowed brows of disapproval and anger.

"Theon..." Robb's voice was full of frustration.

Satisfied with himself due to Snow's lack of response, the Kraken boy then turned to the other. "And you! You are there trying to scold me when you think the same, and you know it's the truth. I saw how you couldn't take your eyes off our guest for more than a minute." Theon teased with malice in his expression.

Robb's sweaty face was dyed pink when he blushed. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to refute, but luckily he was interrupted by a nearby shout.

"What are you doing there?" It was Sor Rodrik Cassel, the Master-at-Arms of Winterfell, who was approaching with long strides. He was strong in spite of being a little old, broad, and with white chops so big that he could braid one another. "I went away for a moment and on my way back I find you whispering like little girls?"

"We were-" Theon tried to answer.

"I do not care. Jon, Robb, to the center! It's your turn now."

The brothers exchanged a look, tired and at the same time amused, but definitely relieved to be able to escape the subject that was being discussed, and the petty words of their friend. So in that way, they passed the afternoon.

That night Amalthea Potter laid on the bed, closed her eyes, and dreamed of the past.

She knew where she was. She had lived there the best and worst years of her life. She knew that place: the long corridors, the sounds of laughter and conversation of hundreds of teenagers, the pictures that moved, talked and waved... That was Hogwarts, her safe haven, her home.

Ron and Hermione accompanied her as they climbed the stone stairs, which occasionally changed to the right or left trying to trick the students into taking the wrong path. These two kept themselves engaged in a conversation or a discussion - something that was already a habit and that almost nobody cared about anymore - and Thea remained silent and amused by their side, listening to their words but not paying much attention.

"Honestly, Ronald, I never met anyone who was as tactful as you."

"But what's the problem? I didn't do anything."

"Nothing? Didn't you do anything? Oh, tell me then-"

Honestly, Thea didn't even remember what they were discussing anymore. When they reached the picture of Fat Lady, she was once again trying to break a cup with her voice, in a high-pitched and not very beautiful way. Seeing that none of the three friends gave her due attention and respect, she bitterly let them pass after Hermione said the secret word.

The passage opened like a door, the Fat Lady coming face to face with the wall when she disappeared from view, and finally they entered the heat of the Gryffindor Common Room. The room was round and decorated in shades of red and gold, with large windows and an even bigger fireplace, and several armchairs, sofas, chairs and tables, and everything that could make the room as welcoming as possible. It was full of students, some studying, others simply living. Thea swept the space seeing that happily the armchairs in front of the fireplace were available, so in a quick gesture she approached one before another student tried to occupy it, with the other two following and occupy their respective places.

She had just sat down, when her peace was suddenly interrupted by a close cry: "Hey, Potter!"

"Oh no..." Exclaimed Ron completely forgetting what he was saying to Hermione, who also fell silent, and watched what would follow.

Thea took a deep breath, asking for strength and patience from all the deities in the world. She put a fake smile on her face and in the calmest possible voice, replied: "Yes, Fred?"

Fred Weasley, tall and thin, with fire-colored hair and a freckled face, strode up with a huge smile, and George at his side tried to contain his laughter as he followed his brother. When he finally got close to him, he sat on the left arm of the chair and threw his own right arm over Thea's shoulders. The young girl's face became bitter when she looked at the other's arm, with poison in her eyes, as if that limb was burning.

"Did you like my present?" He asked with a wink. Hermione, Ron and George swallowed the laughs they wanted to escape even though Hermione tried to pretend she wasn't paying attention when she took a book out of her bag and pretended to be reading.

"No." Thea replied dryly, trying to remove the arm from the boy who was pulling her against him.

"Why not?"

"Because-!" She abruptly stopped herself, seeing that there were onlookers all over the room trying to overhear the conversation. She let out a severe snort, and continued to fight Fred who wouldn't let her out of his clutches as he continued to laugh: "Because I didn't, now get lost."

"I didn't see anything wrong with it. Did you, George?" He asked his twin.

"No, Fred, I think it was a perfectly acceptable gift." George threw an apologetic smile at Thea when he was struck by her gaze, but the girl knew that he was enjoying his brother's jokes immensely.

If it were possible Thea would now be smoking smoke out of her ears. Her face was deeply red with shame and fury. "Oh, shut up. Get out, I told you. There are many places where you can sit, you don't have to be clinging to me."

Fred pretended not to hear her words when he continued to speak: "In fact, I have been praised many times today. People seem to have found it pleasant."

Amalthea's hands shook and she had to clench her fists tightly to try to avoid putting them around the redhead's neck, and choke him until he promised to leave her alone. She closed her eyes taking a deep breath, remembering what had happened that morning.

She, as well as Hermione and Ron, were in the Great Hall enjoying a delicious breakfast, full of bacon, buttered toast and pumpkin juice, talking about the lessons they would have that day. As usual, owls entered the windows in a sea of ​​feathers of different colors, carrying letters and packages on their beaks and paws to deliver. Surprisingly, Hedwig landed in front of her with a small blue box with a large green bow.

"Hey my beauty, what are you bringing me today? I wasn't expecting anything. Is it from Snuffles?" She gave her a slice of bacon, which the white owl hooted happily immediately began to eat, and Thea inspected the box now in her hands.

"Whose is it? It's his?" Questioned Hermione, puzzled.

"I don't know, it doesn't say anything."

"Open and see what it is." Said Ron with his mouth full of food and his eyes full of curiosity.

Thea shrugged confusedly, and carefully pulled the noose and removed the cap. It was the worst thing she could have done, for at that moment there was an explosion, and tiny lights of different colors escaped from the box that was its prison and floated above her head, swirling and spinning in a tornado of color and brightness. She tried to fend off the little lights that looked like little fairies like flies. Everyone around her looked and whispered, having noticed what was happening, some laughing and others looking dumbfounded.

Hedwig had already fled with all the loud noises, hooting indignantly and also furiously, taking off with a piece of bacon in her beak that she stole from the red-haired boy.

"What is?" She exclaimed. "Get this off me, Hermione. Help me!"

"It is forming words." Ron exclaimed with toast on his way to his mouth.

"What!?" The Potter heiress started, looking up and trying to decipher. It was true. The tiny blue, yellow, purple and pink lights came together to form something that Thea could not read, since she was looking under.

"Amalthea Potter is a good name, but it would be even better with Weasley on the end." Hermione read in a whisper, watching her friend's face with concern, seeing that it was turning a terrible shade of purple due to anger.

"Do something!" Thea pleaded hearing the laughter of all her colleagues.

Hermione took the wand and was about to try a spell when there was a minor explosion, and the lights turned to pink glitter that fell on Thea's hair, face and shoulders. Some still fell on her plates, and Ron was almost dying with disgust when he saw his bacon glistening with the various sparkling particles.

"Weasley!" She shouted, startled, scanning the place with her eyes. Her ears burned from all the laughter and comments being targeted at her. Finally she found her enemy running with his twin brother out of the hall. "Weasley come back here, don't even think about escaping!"

Fred was still smirking at him now, with a red brow raised high. "What did you think?"

"Fred..." Thea said tiredly, and her face was still red. She gave up fighting and confessed: "You embarrassed me. I didn't have time to take a shower and the glitter didn't come out with magic. I was the target of teasing and comments from the stupid Malfoy all morning, and when Snape saw me he took fifty points and detained me for three days. He loved that moment, for sure, he was almost dancing when he left."

Fred's handsome smile fell from his face at this, and his expression was serious and a little hurt. His sky-blue eyes seemed to lose their luster and became sad. "I-"

"It's all right." She sighed.

"It wasn't my intention, Thea, you know that. I would never do anything to try to embarrass you or bring humiliation. It was a joke, I thought you would like it." He whispered.

Amalthea smiled seeing the truth in his words. Fred could be many things, but he would never do anything with bad intentions about her. "I know Fred, just... Pay more attention for the next one."

The older boy smiled at her sheepishly, even when he was pulled by George who said that Lee was waiting for them for something and that they were already late, which seemed really suspicious to everyone who witnessed it.

"But I repeat again, Potter..." said Fred before leaving completely through the passage that led to the outside.

"What?" She inquired, confused.

The naughty smile was back: "Amalthea Weasley is still better." And he escaped with the sound of laughter from Hermione, Ron and George, leaving a furious dark-haired girl behind, with a tiny smile on her flushed face.

When she woke up, her face was stained with tears and her heart was racing. It was still night, Thea knew it from the darkness of the room. She got up, leaving the comfort of the bed, going to the table where the metal tray with the water jug ​​and glasses was. She filled one and stood there drinking and shivering, and swallowing her tears as she swallowed the cold liquid. Putting the glass down again, she went to the fireplace where the embers were almost out, stirred them with the iron poker, and threw another log into it. She watched it burn until it brought light and warmth to the room

"Did you dream about me again?"

"Yes." She said, looking at the bed where Fred's ghostly figure now rested, sitting peacefully watching her.

"What was it this time?"

She smiled through her tears. "In the fourth year, when you decided to offer me something over breakfast that had me covered in brilliant pink."

He smiled at her as well. "Ah yes, it was a good time. Everyone was impressed with my ability to win your heart. "

"In fact." Thea raised an eyebrow and went to join him with a shaky step.

"If it was a good dream, why are you crying?"

"I miss you. I want you here with me."

Fred sighed sadly, caressing her face, trying and unable to shake the tears that escaped her green eyes. Thea clung to his touch as much as she could, imagining it was hot again instead of icy. "I know. There is nothing I want more than to be with you again. What we had was beautiful, magical and the purest form of love there is. I still love you just as you still love me. But I am dead and you are alive, T. So you must learn to live without me."

"I don't want to, I will never want to." She promised hoarsely.

"You will." Fred assured her. "And when you do, I want you to know that it is alright."

"What are you saying?" Thea withdrew his transparent hands in anger, immediately regretting it, and picking it up again. Even the touch of his spirit was better than no touch from Fred.

"One day you will understand."

She was silent, feeling the salty taste of tears in her mouth, feeling a tremor in her body that wasn't cold. Her heart was beating loudly and sadly, and she wanted to hear Fred's heartbeat, which once soothed her dozens of times, but when she put her head close to the ghost's chest, she heard nothing. Nothing but the sound of her own blood that roared in her ears in a provocative way. You're alive, you fool, it seemed to say. He isn't, so why are you still trying?

But her heart ached, her soul ached, it all hurt. It was a strong pain with every pulse, with every breath of air that she breathed. The air no longer smelled of his wonderful cologne even though she was so close to his body. The air around Fred didn't smell like anything and it just made her want to cry more.

Nothing was heard in the room. It was just them: a living girl and a dead boy, and both were unhappy. A boy who deserved more, who was all smiles and laughter, and who only brought joy to the world when he was alive.

Thea tried to control the tears, and Fred could do no more than watch. "I'm being silly." She said.

"If I could cry, I would cry with you." He confessed.

Amalthea knew it was true, and it just made her love him a little more. He tried to cheer her up for the rest of the time they were there, the two of them together, side by side on the bed, but not really being together.

"Do you remember how we met? What a skinny little thing you were." He commented receiving a weak laugh from Thea, and then he continued. "Even at that time, I knew there was something special about you and I was right."

"I wish you were wrong."

"I don't. You were born to do amazing things, T. I was lucky to be by your side at those moments, and I will be here to watch you in those that you will still do."

"I would trade everything I did, if I could, just to have you here. I couldn't save you."

"Nobody could, it was my time. It doesn't matter. I'm still with you, living through you, and George, and my family and friends."

"Fred," Thea sighed. " Can you still see them?"

Fred nodded. "Yes, the fact that you are in another world does not affect us. Your parents and Sirius remain mainly here, when they are not on the other side, but Remus and I have already traveled there... to them."

The girl started with tears already forgotten. "How are they?"

"They're fine, as far as possible, I suppose." He replied. "But they miss you." But there was something sad about his translucent expression and calm voice.

"What about George?" Thea questioned, knowing that it was the twin brother's absence that affected her beloved.

Fred seemed reluctant to say anything, shrugged, played with his hands linked, and finally replied, seeing that she would not let the matter down. "He keeps himself locked in the room, he doesn't want to see anyone. He doesn't even want to see himself. He broke all the mirrors he found."

Thea felt all the hairs rise when a shiver crawled up her arms. When she closed her eyes she could almost glimpse this terrible image: George, so identical and so different from his brother, with tears on his freckled face kneeling on the floor in front of a full-length mirror broken into pieces, with the pieces around him dirty with the red blood that dripped from the cuts on his hands, and huge sobs breaking out of his throat. How could George bear to look at his own reflection, if he would see Fred in his place? You are so stupid and selfish, Potter. Did you even think about George? Did you think about his pain, and about Molly and Arthur who lost a child when they should never have had it? You only thought about yourself.

"Go to him." Said the black-haired girl looking at her lover's translucent face in the dimly lit room.

"You need me here."

"He needs you too."

"There is nothing I can do for him, I cannot comfort him." Fred replied with a pain in his voice.

Thea smiled at him miserably, rising from the bed and going to open the window, looking at the darkness of the night and the thousands of stars that dotted the sky. "Being there is enough."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, you can go."

"Thea..."

"Go, Fred. I already said it. It's all right."

She did not receive an answer again, and when she glanced he saw that Fred was no longer there. With a sigh, she went back to watching the stars trying to identify the ones she knew so well... But where was Ursa Major? Where was Ursa Minor? Where was Sirius? She couldn't find them anywhere. It was a different world, the stars and constellations would also have to be different, she supposed.

She stayed at the window until the sky turned from black to gray, and shades of pink, red and orange kissed the world as it dawned. Without further ado, knowing that sooner or later someone was going to call her, she rummaged in her bag for something to wear. She already had in her hands a green velvet dress with silver embroidery, when she remembered that there was no way to explain having that dress in her possession. After all, the people of Winterfell had seen her arrive with her small purse and sword, and nothing more. She would have to do something about it. She had in mind to wear the one that Lady Stark had loaned her when there was a frantic knock on the door, albeit as quietly as possible.

"Who is it?" She asked.

She received no vocal response, just a few more hurried touches to the wood. She narrowed her green eyes suspiciously, dropped her dress, and took one of the wands in the direction of the noise. Prepared, she reached out and turned the key to unlock the door. She was on her way to turn the knob when it turned on its own, the door burst open and a figure hurried in, white rustling, leaning against the dark wood after locking it again.

Seeing who it was, Thea hid her wand up her sleeve watching happily.

"Well, hello." She greeted smiling.

Arya looked at her in embarrassment with her hair slightly disheveled, her face flushed and breathless as if she had been running, and still dressed in her white nightshirt. The robes were loose on her body giving the impression that the girl was even more tiny. "Mmm ... Good morning."

"Good morning, what are you doing here? And for more still dressed like that? "

"I..." Arya seemed to think of something to say when she scanned the room carefully, as if looking for something.

"Does anyone know you are here?"

"Of course they do." The girl replied, smiling as innocently as possible. The older woman was not to be believed.

Amalthea raised her left eyebrow with a sly look on her face, where the tear marks had long since disappeared. "You escaped, didn't you?"

The little girl tried to lie for a moment, looked at her feet and sideways making excuses, but seeing Thea's smile and seeing that she had been caught, she resigned herself to shrug until they almost touched her ears, and confessed: "Yes, I got up earlier before they woke me up, and snuck out of the room. Since then I came here tiptoe, but around the corner I heard voices and decided to run before they caught me."

Amalthea tried to contain her laughter but failed, and laughed softly for a few moments. She encouraged the girl to venture into the room while standing to watch her near the brown armchair. Arya inspected everything curiously, but her gaze always ended up on the table in the corner, where several things rested on top of the old wood. Seeing this, the woman smiled again, and waited. She didn't have to wait long.

"Can I see it?" Arya questioned suddenly. "You said I could but you didn't say when, so I decided." Her little voice was a mixture of insecurity and determination.

"I already see that you have decided. Am I not going to hear rebukes at your expense, or am I? I don't need any problems, I am forever grateful to your father, but I don't think he would be pleased to know that you were misbehaving because of me."

Arya blushed as if that possibility had only just crossed her mind. "I have no intention of causing you any problems. If anyone asks me I will tell them the truth, that it was my idea."

"I know, girl. I'm playing with you, don't worry.

They were silent for a while, watching each other. Arya looked somewhat hesitant slowly approaching the table. When she was a few inches away, she stopped in her seat, seeing the sword's scabbard extended in front of her. "I really can?"

Amalthea joined the girl. "I will show you. It's very sharp, I don't want you to get hurt."

She saw on her face that she wanted to refute and that is exactly what she did: "I will not be hurt, I am not a stupid little girl."

"It is not just stupid girls who spill blood on swords. Older and wiser men than you have already done it." Thea pursed her lips, dissatisfied with the young girl''s response. "Or either you let me show you the sword on my terms, or I won't show you at all."

With that Arya fell silent and nodded understandingly. Thea raised the sword and drew it with a yawn. She was extremely tired, that dream and the conversation with Fred had upset her, and as much as she wanted to go back to bed, she knew she would not fall asleep again. Arya gasped as she watched the blade shine in the cold morning light.

"Oh, it's so beautiful. Can I hold it?" Said the girl holding out a hand, intending to touch the metal. The older woman quickly raised the sword out of reach.

"I dont know." Thea bit her lip thoughtfully. She was sure that if Arya's parents found out that their daughter was playing with sharp blades, they would not be satisfied. But surely nothing bad would happen, the girl would only hold the sword for a second... "Okay, but be careful."

Arya's face shone with happiness. Cautiously Thea lowered the object to her level, Arya wrapped her small left hand - since she was left-handed - around the half-moon fist, and then to her amazement, her arm fell under the weight of Soteira. The silver blade hit the ground with a crash so loud that it spiked their spines.

Shocked, they both looked at each other with wide eyes and open mouths. They were silent, listening for sound and movement outside the door, but nothing came. Their laughter burst out abruptly when Arya tried to lift the sword now with both hands, but the blade was only eight centimeters from the stone floor.

"Well," Thea began through the little wolf's giggles and gasps of effort. "It looks like you're still not strong enough."

"This is not fair, you managed to hold it as if it were the easiest and lightest thing in the world." Arya complained at last giving up and passing the powerful sword to Thea, who safely sheathed it again, and put it back in its place.

"One day you will make it, don't worry. I'm older and stronger than you, so it's normal for me to be easier. " Seeing Arya's frustrated face, Thea bent slightly and whispered. "And besides, Soteira is useful and loyal only to a Peverell. You know that it's magic? No one else will be able to wield it perfectly. "

Arya remained quiet for a moment, hesitatingly biting the inside of her cheek. Finally, she narrowed her eyes and replied: "No, it is not, magic no longer exists. Don't try to trick me just to make me happy. I'm not stupid, I know how the world works." And she passed abruptly past Amalthea, who was watching her with amusement and went to sit on the unmade bed on top of the sheets and furs overturned by a turbulent sleep, in the exact place where Fred's ghost had sat hours ago.

Oh Arya, if you knew how wrong you are, the Peverell heiress thought, feeling the weight of her wand still hidden in the sleeve of her nightshirt. She watched as Arya fell backward onto the bed, lying with her arms and legs extended as if she were a starfish.

"I'm bored." Commented the little girl.

"I imagine you are, there is not much to do in my room. However, it must be time to breakfast, shouldn't you be back before they find out you ran away?"

"I suppose I should but I don't want to go, this morning we will have a dance class." Arya blew out an irritated breath. "I hate dancing, Septa Mordane says that I am clumsy and that I seem to have two left feet and not swan feet like the others."

Thea narrowed her eyes. She had been at Winterfell only a few days ago, but she had already seen firsthand the favoritism that this old religious woman had towards Sansa and her friends. "Does Septa Mordane have anything good to say about you?"

"Not really." Confessed Arya. "I don't think anyone has anything good to say about me, well maybe my father, Jon, Robb, Bran and baby Rickon. The others call me Arya Horseface, you know? Sansa and her silly friends."

Thea's heart ached with those words: "It's certainly not how you think. Have you talked to your parents about it?"

"I tried to tell my mother but she didn't want to hear me."

Amalthea was suddenly furious when she heard the sad tone that the girl's voice had acquired. She opened her mouth to speak, when she heard the door handle turn. Someone was making an attempt to open it. Arya stood up, startled, looking with wide eyes. "What now? Who is it?" She asked in a whisper.

Thea motioned her to remain silent and went towards the door. "My Lady, are you awake?" She heard someone ask and recognized the voice immediately. It was Alyssa, the maid who had helped her the day before. "I was sent to help you prepare, I have a new dress for you with me."

"Only a moment." Said the woman looking at Arya who was still panicking. "Hide yourself."

"She is going to tell my mother."

"No, she is not. Hide under the bed and when she leaves you go back to your room as soon as possible. Now hide, go. I can't keep her waiting."

Arya suddenly threw herself under the bed, and there she was quietly hidden in her little corner. Seeing this, Thea opened the door gently allowing Alyssa to enter, who brought with her a green and silver wool dress in her hands. The maid looked around the room for a moment but was quick to rest her dress on the bed and turn to Thea.

"Did you have a good night, my Lady?"

"Yes I did, and you?"

"I had a wonderful night, thank you for asking."

Amalthea wanted to tell the brown-eyed woman that she would not need her help that morning, but Alyssa was already encouraging her to take off her evening clothes. She would have to get dressed quickly and comb even faster so that Arya didn't have to wait too long. And that was exactly what she did in the middle of small conversations while putting on the clothes that served her as a glove and Alyssa braided her hair in the traditional Northern style.

When Thea was finished, she was quick to assure the woman that she would not need her to accompany her to the Great Hall, for she had already memorized the path. Alyssa looked reluctant, but at last, she accepted Amalthea's decision and left after wishing her a good breakfast and the rest of a good day.

After hearing the click of the door closing, Arya's head peeked out of the bed and her body quickly followed. She got up, shaking off the dust that stained her immaculate white clothes. "I thought she would never leave."

"Me too, you're lucky that she didn't hear us. I lied to her and said that I already knew the way, but you will have to be quick to go back to your room and get ready for the day, in order to accompany me to the Great Hall."

The girl nodded understandingly. "I won't be long, I'll be back in a minute." She opened the door carefully and, seeing the clear path, began to flee at the sound of Thea's laughter.

Before Arya's return, Kreacher joined Thea in the tranquility of her room, now protected by a silencing spell, safe from prying ears.

"We will have to do something about our assets." Thea commented when she finished casting the spell. "If I intend to pretend to be a wealthy lady, I cannot continue to be a beggar. Lady Catelyn has already lent me two of her dresses, I must have mine. We told them that we had our valuables stored in a safe place... well, it's time to pick them up."

The old man understood perfectly, and so they made plans until Arya returned (luckily no one had missed her. She laid in bed and pretended to sleep when they went to call her to prepare for the day). Arya was excited and chattered the whole way.

Then, while they were eating in the midst of conversations, and enjoying boiled eggs and fried bread, accompanied by grilled ham and a bowl of blackberries, Thea informed Lord Stark of her intentions and as grateful as they were to his kindness and charity, they could not continue to abuse his goodwill. Eddard was quick to make it known that it wasn't abuse but that he understood her decision, and that he imagined that they would feel better about having their own things.

"Lord Kadeem will have an escort of men who will accompany him on his journey." The Lord of Winterfell offered, after hearing her words.

"It will not be necessary, Lord Stark, although I am very grateful. It will be a quick trip and I have no intention of taking more than four days, at the latest five. " Kadeem said, respectfully. "I implore you to take care only of my Lady."

"Oh, do not worry, sir." Sansa said in a timid voice like a bird. "I will keep Lady Peverell company if you please."

"Of course Lady Sansa, thank you very much." Thea smiled.

"She doesn't want to be with a bore like you!" With her mouth full of food, Arya screamed. "I will keep her company." She was quickly rebuked by her older sister and parents, while the others laughed quietly.

Before Kadeem left they met again, this time in the Godswood.

"Here you have, Mistress." He said. Not knowing how the man had been able to get his hands on three of the Westeros coins: a gold dragon, a silver stag, and a copper star.

Thea was quick to cast a duplicating spell (Geminio) several times, ending up with five hundred times that amount, or even more. Some she kept it with them, but most of it was safely inside the magic purse that she handed to the man. She transfigured a fallen branch from a tree into a few large chests that were rapidly shrinking and shrinking even more until they were the size of simple children's toys.

"Return the original coins to their owners." Said the young woman, seeing Kadeem put the chests in her purse too.

The truth is that Kadeem would not really leave, since they had no material goods stored anywhere except there, but the others did not know that. Then they would have to pretend. Lord Stark had provided a cart and two horses for Kadeem to use, and in fact, the man would use them to leave Winterfell until he was out of sight of curious eyes, and later to return. Far away, he would hide the animals in the forest and could return to his room from time to time, and stay there for a few hours resting in secret, and would stop by the hideout again to make sure the horses were healthy and had food. When the time was right, he would take the chests out of the purse, and with them, at their normal size he would fill them with coins and jewelry, clothes, and everything of value, and then he just had to go back to Winterfell, without ever having really left. It was at times like that that Amalthea thanked the Goddess for her magic.

In the courtyard, Thea said goodbye to Kreacher and wished him a safe journey accompanied by the Stark family. Together they watched him walk away, until he grew smaller and smaller until he disappeared on the horizon, and each went to their tasks. The Peverell heiress remained, however, lost in thought.

She was aware that she needed more knowledge about Westeros. The little that Harlan's ghost had shared with her was not enough. That continent was rooted in years and years of history, battles, and events and now Amalthea had to know as much as possible. The best way to do this would be through books, so she went to the nearest Stark she could find. That turned out to be Jon Snow, Lord Stark's bastard.

"Jon!" She called out to him, quickly approaching the boy who seemed to be trying to head to the training yard. He stopped the moment he heard his name being called, and waited for Thea to reach him with a confused look on his face.

"My Lady." He greeted her with a question hidden in his voice.

"Thank you for waiting."

Jon's cheeks were dyed red. "How can I help you?"

"You have a library here, right?"

"In fact, we do, yes."

"How wonderful!" Thea's smile was huge, she was absolutely delighted with that information. "Can you show me?"

Jom shifted from foot to foot and his lips pursed when he said timidly, "My Lady, I... I don't think it's appropriate for you to be in my presence. I can show you the way or ask someone to accompany you."

"Well, why not?"

"It is not appropriate for a lady of your status to be close to a bastard." He said as coldly as possible. However, Thea was able to detect the sadness in his voice.

"From where I am a baby born out of wedlock is not considered a bastard, is just an innocent child, and does not carry the brunt of their parents' alleged mistakes. I want you to join me, Jon Snow."

Thea saw that Jon was still undecided, looking around as if he were trying to make sure he wasn't being watched. Thea felt immense pity for him. How was it his fault that he was born? Why did the supposed bastards have to be the ones who carried the hatred of society, when they themselves had no choice?

"I don't care what others think. I would be immensely grateful if you could accompany me."

Finally, he agreed, albeit reluctantly. He seemed to think he was going to be in trouble... and maybe that was true. Amalthea remembered the icy look Lady Stark gave her stepson the first day she met them.

Jon quickly took her to a tall round tower, which had stone stairs carved out of it. The moment Thea entered, she had to stop for a second. She felt like Beauty in "Beauty and the Beast" (not that Jon was a monster, in fact, he was incredibly handsome), the moment she is introduced to the mountains and mountains of books inside the castle where she was a prisoner.

There were hundreds of books stacked on several shelves, the air inside was hot and muggy which was a relief compared to the cold air in the North. There was a fireplace away from the books to avoid the risk of fire - every corner and room in Winterfell seemed to have fireplaces - a table and armchairs.

Hermione would pass out if she were here, Thea thought, examining the titles of the books as her finger stroked the spines.

Jon cleared his throat, breaking Amalthea's charm. "Do you need anything more, my Lady?"

"Oh, I beg your pardon." Thea was embarrassed for a moment, as she focused her gaze again on the boy with hair as black as her own. "I am sorry to have interrupted your chores but I am immensely grateful to you for your help. I don't want to tie you up anymore." She wanted to get to know him a little better, but she knew that Jon was still hesitant.

"It was a pleasure to help you. If you need anything more, I am at your service."

"Thank you, Jon."

He left her in the silence of the library tower, surrounded by books and dust. Thea picked up a book that seemed interesting to her, sat down in one of the armchairs and opened it, immediately losing herself in the words. 

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you so much for all the love you give this story, I really appreciate it!