Dragon of the North ~Game of Thrones~

Chapter one

Another arrow went flying past the target. In the short thirty minutes that young Bran Stark had been practicing his archery, he had missed almost every shot and the ones that had managed to hit the target board bounced off. Jon Snow and Robb Stark, the two elder brothers of Ban, stood off to either side of him while Adelaie Morley, a slender, young woman with long dark hair that contrasted with eyes like deep forest pools, reflecting the glimmering canopy above.

Once again, the young boy missed the target, instead hitting the barrel next to it. He lowered his bow in defeat and Jon was quick to notice. He walked to his side, and bent down to the boy's height,

"Go on, Father's watching." Jon's voice was soft, and encouraging. When Bran turned up to look at his parents, the elder boy did too, "And your mother." Jon added. Bran's dark eyes moved from the balcony, and fell to Adelaie. She gave him an encouraging smile, urging him to continue, which he did. Unfortunately, his aim was once again off and the arrow shot overhead.

Robb turned from his younger brother, attempting to hide the amusement that etched its way onto his features, yet Jon could not help himself. His laugh triggered one from a young boy sitting not too far off, Rickon Stark. Adelaie smiled in amusement, not only at how off Bran had been, but the immaturity of the boys she was with,

"And which one of you was a marksman at ten?" A thick northern accent boomed from above them, causing them all to look up at Eddard Stark, the lord of Winterfell, and his wife, Catelyn Stark, "Keep practicing, Bran." The man told his son,

"Go on." Adelaie turned back around, and looked at the boy in front of her, "Here bran, I'll give you a hand." She added. Adelaie walked up to his left and forced Jon to move back. While Bran notched another arrow, she knelt to his level, and instructed him to pull back to notched arrow. Once he had, she pushed his elbow a bit higher, and placed her hand on the one holding the bow. "Relax your bow arm." She gently told him, which he obliged to,

"It will take a while bran, but with guidance-" Adelaie was cut off as an arrow hit the centre of the target, almost causing Bran to turn and look at the culprit, yet her voice stopped him short of any movement "Now." She commanded, causing Bran to let go of the string.

Jon, Robb and Rickon had been laughing, yet as soon as their arrow went through the target, they ceased in amazement. The arrow that had been lodged in there was now split in pieces on the ground beneath the target. Laughter erupted from above them as Bran turned around, dropped his bow and chased after his sister, Arya. Once again, the boys beside her started laughing only this time she joined in.

"Quick, Bran," Robb shouted to the boy as he jumped over a wooden fence, "Faster!" Adelaie laughed, turning back around and picking Bran's bow up from the ground. They'd all calmed down, and began to collect what arrows were in the area.

"You shouldn't help him so much." Adelaie turned her head to look at Robb, his arms still crossed over his chest as he looked down at the girl,

"You helped me." She told him with a small shrug,

"Yes, but you are a woman-" Robb started but was cut off,

"And I am better than you and Jon and Theon. A little help has never hurt anyone." Robb only shook his head, a smile making its way onto his face,

"I can never win with you, can I?" He commented before walking over to the large target. Rickon ran past her, following his elder brother.

Adelaie turned and walked over to Jon with a bow in her hands. When she placed it down next to him, Rickon, with a hand full of arrows came up beside her, and handed them to Jon before running back over to Robb.