Lord Snow's legs burned as he pushed himself faster and faster. The brisk walk was in a way, harder on his aging body than a full out sprint would have been. Trying to move as swiftly as possible all the while trying to keep some level of decorum and refrain from running like a fool through the halls of the castle. At his side his wife moved just as fast, struggling even more than he was for she had a flowing night blue gown to contend with. Even in the mad dash Ned could not help but marvel at his wife's beauty. An older woman for sure, not the young flowers dancing around the castle that so many credit as beautiful but hers was a beauty that came with time, history and love between two souls.
Both parents had a child in tow, Eddard rushed with Bran holding the boy by the hand while Catelyn did the same with the couples youngest Rickon. Arya ran ahead, darting from cover to cover playing that she was an assassin on a mission despite her mothers scoldings to come back by their side. The Snow family was incredibly late to the feast thanks in large part due to that same little girl. She and her brother had gotten into a fight resulting in Bran being tossed in the mud. In return Bran threw mud at his sister resulting in both of them needing to be washed and changed last minute. So now they ran, the whole family minus Robb who was already in attendance escorting a princess on his arm.
Arya could not care less about the feast, being late, any of it. She was on assignment, hired by her king to slay an evil wizard. She crept through the darkness, ready to skewer her target with her imaginary dagger. She turned back to see her family rushing after her but her eyes only saw the warlock's zombie guards coming to consume her flesh. She darted forward, ready to break into a mad dash to flee the undead horde when she ran into a wall of muscle.
She bounced back and looked up to see a giant. His dark eyes looking down at her curiously. His body, larger than any man's she'd ever seen. He wore no armor or jerkin which she'd found odd. Instead his shoulders and chest had blue stripes on them that made him kind of look like a tiger. He had long, long hair that was braided down his back. Arya had never seen a man with hair that long before.
"Are you a giant?"
She asked boldly.
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Jinn arched an eyebrow at the curious young girl looking up at him.
"What?"
He asked, as if unsure he'd heard her correctly. The girl put her hand on her hip with sass far beyond her years.
"A giant, you do know what a giant is don't you?"
Jinn could not help but smirk.
"I do."
"So.... are you?"
She asked again, unphased by the mountain of a man before her.
"Not that I know of."
Jinn replied. The little girl just grunted under her breath as she shrugged her shoulders.
"You look like one."
The Khal chuckled as he looked down at the brazen little child just as the child's parents came rushing up. A pale older man and his wife, both pale of skin and lacking the look of the locals. He wore dark colors and had a closely shaved beard that was dotted with white, showing his age. He grabbed hold of the girl and pulled her back, pushing her to her mother who promptly scolded her.
"My apologies Khal Jinn, my daughter can be a bit forward."
He said in breathless apology. Jinn waved the apology away with a smile.
"No need, your young one was just curious whether or not I was a giant."
Lord Snow sighed with a laugh and turned to look back at Arya who just shrugged at him as if to ask 'what?' Eddard turned back around to offer his hand to the Khal in respect.
"Lord Eddard Snow."
Jinn shook the man's hand firmly as the name rung out in his mind with familiarity.
"Snow? I've heard the name before."
"My father was to be king once. Fought a war and everything. Except he lost."
Arya offered smartly. Her mother promptly pinched her elbow silencing her. Eddard sighed and nodded to the Khal confirming his daughters words. Jinn nodded in recollection as the tale of the fabled King of the South began to flood into his mind. The honorable king of the wolves had been the first legitimate chance of a unified South Pacific in centuries yet from the legend the King of the South was defeated not by blade but by pen, he'd lost his kingdom due to the corruption of the nobility. Something Jinn did not allow to happen when he conquered the kingdom years later for honeyed words mean little when the fire rises.
"The King of the South. I know your tale well, do you know they have a song about you?"
Eddard just shook his head in embarrassment.
"I'm sure it's not very good."
The two men shared a short laugh before Eddard beckoned to his wife.
"Apologies, this is my wife Catelyn..."
The woman, red of hair curtsied regally to the Khal who nodded respectfully.
"My youngest Rickon, then Bran.... and you've met Arya."
Arya smirked boldly as her father said her name. Jinn only smiled and gave her a firm nod.
"Three children? You don't make it easy on yourself Lord Snow."
"Four actually, my eldest is around here somewhere. And no I don't."
The adults all shared a short laugh as the sounds and smells from the dinning hall reached them.
"It looks like the feast is beginning husband."
Catelyn said, obvious she still felt ashamed they were so late.
"Walk with me then, I'm sure you're queen will forgive you if you were only entertaining her guests."
Jinn offered. Eddard smiled and nodded.
"I'm sure she would, it would be an honor Khal."
Jinn turned and lead the family into the feasting hall where Dothraki and noble alike had already began pouring in to the delictable feast where every delight imaginable could be found. Roast boar and venison, quail and duck, poached salmon, trout and swordfish were all laid out spectacularly. Wines, ales and mead of every kind were set up in great kegs with mugs nearby for easy access to the swill. Then finally there was what the Snow children had their eye on, the deserts. Sweet cakes and pies, creme delights and sugar coated chilled fruits. Truly this was a feast of special magnificence. The two men continued to talk casually as they walked into the hall, Jinn was fast beginning to take a liking to this older man from his home land.
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The first of the Snow children walked now beside the princess from Anansai. The battle still fresh in his mind, he wondered how he'd fare against the beast of a man from the west. Yet the beauty at his side took his mind from the beast. He looked at her and noticed her eyes were out of focus as if she was drifting away. He nudged her gently and gave her a soft smile as the pair slowly made their way towards the feasting hall.
"Is everything well princess? You seem troubled."