For a long time, Robb just stared at wall and thought about everything. He knew that he would have to marry again but this wasn't what he had in mind. A Stark marrying a barren Targaryen queen. A consort, what exactly would that entitle? Did she already picked a second bride? There are few possibilities, she had said but who?
Dear Gods, he was going to have two wifes. Maybe he should've tried bending the knee to the Others and fighting the Dragons.
He was lost in his thoughts until a knock on the door pulled him back to reality.
"Enter." He called. Sansa walked in and sat across him. She looked at him sympathetically.
"Congratulations, brother. I hear you will be marrying the queen."
"Yes. I suppose you already know everything?" Arya had probably told her what happened.
"I do and I don't see it as a necessarily bad thing," Sansa started carefully, "we've talked about this. You cannot ignore the South and their game. The biggest threat to the North is the South. You will be in a better position to defend our people when you marry the queen."
He knew that she was right but it was still King's Landing. Starks didn't do well there and he was sure that half of the queens council hated him.
"I know," he decided to leave it that.
"Did you take care of everything?" He asked only to see her roll her eyes at him
"The queen is in the guestchambers, she has two maids to take care of her, they have already prepared a bath for her, I gave her some of my dresses to use and there are guards posted at her door."
Robb couldn't help but smile, while he ran the North his mother and sister made sure Winterfell didn't collapse around him.
"You will like the dresses I gave her. They are some of my older ones but still in perfect condition."
He didn't understand what she meant by that, but he also knew nothing about dresses so he just ignored it.
"Under no circumstances can the queen's condition become public knowledge. Can you make sure that those who know it remain silent?" He asked and she just nodded in understanding.
"It will be dark soon, you should get ready for the feast," Sansa told him as she got up and left the room.
He looked outside and saw that she was right. There was still time though to make a small visit to the queen. It couldn't hurt to be polite, could it?
On the way to the queen, he noticed that his people were nervous. He couldn't really blame them, he was too, but for different reasons. They're nervous because of the dragons, I'm nervous because of my future wife.
The guards at her door bowed their heads and one of them knocked on the door. One of the maids opened it.
"I would like a moment with her Grace," Robb told her but the poor girl was confused. She didn't know whether to just let him in or to close the door in his face and ask the queen for permission. Luckily the queen saved her.
"You may enter," came from the room and the girl let him in.
Not come in or just enter but You may enter. It's my bloody castle, he thought but even to him it sounded childish.
She was sitting in front of the fireplace and looking calmly into the fire.
"My queen, is there anything else you need," he broke the silence. At first he thought she didn't hear him but she turned her head and smiled at him.
"Your sister provided me everything I need," she turned to the maid and politely dismissed her. The girl bolted out of the room.
"She even gave me some of her own clothes." She stood up and looked down at her dress.
"Silver and gray. The only thing missing is a direwolf on my breasts and one could mistake me for a Stark." Her light tone and a smile told him that she wasn't insulted. It did however made him look at her breasts. He recovered quickly but she had noticed it.
"That's not why you really came here, is it?" Sinking into the same huge chair, she motioned for him to sit across her.
"Before I can consider the offer, I would like to know more details. It is a complicated matter, your Grace."
She nodded in understanding.
"Well, it is a matter that will affect the Seven Kindoms. Not everyone will be happy, but what bothers you exactly?"
He didn't know where to start. Something like this, has never been done before.
"What about the inheritance of Winterfell?" That seemed like a good place to start.
"The Iron Throne takes priority, but hopefully you will manage to sire more then one child. Rest assured that nothing will be left to chance. We will draw up an agreement that doesn't put Winterfell in danger."
If it were only that simple, he thought. My father had a piece of paper that got him killed. Are we to make the same mistakes.
"You said that not everyone will be happy, anyone in particular, my queen?" Or is it just half of your council, he wondered.
"Many have asked for my hand, they offered me their lands, castles and armies and I have turned them down. Some were willing to give up their names and families just for a chance to be a king. I'm not asking you to give up anything but I'm offering you a crown if you marry me and another women."
That wasn't really the answer he hoped for. I wanted names of men that I will need to watch out for.
"Isn't this what every man dreams of? Almost ultimate power and two women to share his bed?"
I may have not won the war but I did win enough battles to know what a trap is.
"I had that power and I know that it doesn't come free. Nothing can make one feel lonely like a crown." Kings don't have friends, only subjects, allies and enemies. I had one friend and he betrayed me. Never again.
Daenerys nodded. At least I had my family, she had no one.
"True, but you will not be alone. How lonely can you be with two wifes?" The queen asked him with a smirk.
"That would depend on the wifes," he answered too quickly.
"Is that so?" She seemed more amused than insulted.
"Your Grace, I didn't mean to-" but she interrupted him.
"Perhaps my lord doesn't find me pretty enough? Or is he afraid that two women will be too much for him?" Now she was just playing with him.
"My queen's beauty is unquestionable and unmatched," little flattery couldn't hurt, "and while having two wifes is some men's fantasy, it can be also little terrifying."
His honesty was rewarded with a sincere laugh from the queen.
"You're smarter than I thought, Robb." It sounded like a compliment but he wasn't sure.
"You are also partially correct. Whether we are successful in securing the line of the succession, will depend on all three of us. How lonely and miserable we are, will be up to us. We could end up as enemies, hating each other or as allies and lovers fighting together to make the world a better place. Everything depends on us."
You don't ask for much, do you? A decent marriage with two wifes, was such thing even possible?
"I understand," Robb said but there was another thing he needed to know. "Do you already know who our wife would be?" That just didn't sound right.
He could see that she was glad that he understood the difficulty of the task before them but after a moment she shook her head.
"You were an easy choice for a consort. Choosing a mother for our heirs will be much more difficult. Like I said, there are few possibilities but we must choose together and we must be certain that she is the right one."
"Forgive me, my queen, but you seem certain that I will accept." She was so sure of herself and that made him wonder if there is a reason behind that.
"You will and you know it," she said smiling, "but if you want to play this game a little longer then by all means." She shrugged her shoulders and challenged him to say otherwise.
Should he play it any longer? What would be the point?
"It is extremely hard to say no to you, my queen."
"Dany, at least in private." She had won and they both knew it.
"Dany," he tried the word. It sounded more familiar then it should've.
"Being my consort has many privileges. That is just one of them."
"Then I accept your your proposal and look forward to our marriage. There will be small feast tonight. Will you allow me the privilege to escort you, Dany."
"Of course. I will need to send a raven to Tyrion and tell him to announce the betrothal and start preparing for the wedding. How long do you need to settle the matters here?" Dany asked.
There wasn't really much to settle. He needed to inform his lords and make sure they don't do anything stupid.
"I will send you the maester for the raven and a fortnight should suffice for everything else."
She thought about it for a moment and then nodded.
"A fortnight. After that we will fly to King's Landing. Any guards or servants you wish to bring can come after us."
He looked at her incredulously. There was no smile or teasing on her face. She was serious!
"You want me to ride a dragon?" She grinned, mischievous. Maybe she did want him dead.
"Not alone, you will fly with me on Drogon." She explained. "As long as I'm there he won't harm you, trust me."
He wanted to argue more but decided that now was not the time. He nodded and stud up.
"Then I will go find maester Luwin and get ready for the feast."
A fortnight passed quickly. Almost every day some lord would arrive and Robb had to explain the quenn's sudden arrival. Winterfell was full of guests but he had tried to spend as much time as possible with his family.
Most of the lords weren't sure what to think about his marriage. They all agreed that it could help the Northern interests and that if they had to be ruled by the Iron Throne, then the Throne should be ruled by a Stark. As much as it was possible as a consort anyway. Some were stil distrustful towards their Queen. Luckily none had caused any problems.
His talk with Bran hadn't been very fruitful. Bran was much better at wargin but even he had been unsuccessful with any of the dragons. Most importantly his brother told him that Daenerys might see it as an attempt to steal her dragons and after that he had decided to leave it for some other time.
Rickon didn't like that he was leaving but Daenerys had promised that they would visit soon. After all, it was just a small trip on the back of the dragons. His mother had fainted when she heard that Robb would be flying.
His time with Daenerys was hard to describe. He learned a lot about his future wife but it was like he had just scratched the surface. She was otherworldly beautiful that much was obvious but Robb remembered the time when people used to call Cersei the most beautiful woman and that scered him. Was she the next Cersei and is he destined to end up like Robert?
Some things she shared without a problem, others were simply not for discussion. She had freed thousands of slaves and pardoned Jorah Mormont for selling poachers to slavers. She admitted that her father was mad but didn't talk about the rest of her family.
Two days after she arrived in Winterfell, she had invited him to come to her bed and Robb wasn't sure what to do.
He had tried to act properly but it was like fighting a lost battle. It wasn't like she was a maiden or that she could end up with child. That had sounded reasonable enough for him to visit her chambers. He never thought that he would experience something like that night.
Roslin had came to his bed a maiden. Inexperienced just like he was and yet it was unforgettable. With Dany it was something very different. It had been anything but man and a woman laying together to consummate the marriage or to produce a heir.
It was two people enjoying each other bodies and company. It was wild, passionate and addictive. He hated to admitted that he was a little intimidated by her beauty and experience but hearing her scream his name, made him feel like a king again.
She had told him to stay and he simply had no strength to deny her.
The next morning, he woke up with a warm, round, naked butt nestled into his groin. It was truly a waking up worthy of a king.
Since then he never slept in his chambers again. If his family or others have noticed, nobody said anything.
Now, it was time to go to King's Landing. He stood in the courtyard ready to say . Daenerys had said hers and was few feet away, giving him some privacy.
Rickon was sad but behaved well, Robb did have to promise that he will come back though. Bran just told him to be careful. Of all of his family, he had the most faith in Robb. Arya was even dressed properly for the occasion and just told him not to trust anyone. Sansa, always the perfect lady, kissed him on the cheek and wished him good luck. His mother was the hardest, she believed that King's Landing was no place for Starks but she knew that he had to do this.
He nodded at the group of his lords standing behing his family, many had promised to make it for the wedding and the turned to Daenerys.
She gave him an encouraging smile and looked in the sky. He was so overwhelmed by leaving his family that he hadn't even noticed the three dragons flying high over their heads. How could they be so terrifying and yet so silent?
In the next moment Drogon took a dive towards them but managed to slow down and land somewhat gracefully. Dany climed on his back first and then motioned for Robb to follow her. He moved slowly not to startle the beast, but the dragon just followed his movements.
Climbing behind Dany, he grabbed her waist.
"I'm ready," he tried to sound brave.
"No, you are not," she told him. The dragon screeched and took flight.
They weren't even beyond the walls of Winterfell when Robb heard a familiar sound.
"THE KING IN THE NORTH." The Greatjon boomed but Dany just laughed and shook her head.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed. There were many good opinions and I will try to consider them.
