Chapter 4: Breakfast in the North

A/N: I realised I may have confused you with what Daniel and Margaery had gotten up to. They have not yet had sex, as Daniel said "I can't wait for our wedding night," but they have done other things, and about the finding love in the title, there will be plenty of flashbacks. I apologise for the odd chapter length but I'm just trying to get it out as soon as possible.

The morning after the fest, I was awakened by the sunlight streaming in the window to the most beautiful sight on earth: Margaery sleeping, with her head snuggled into my chest.

Looking out of the window, I could see the sun peeking up out from the plains surrounding Winterfell, and I suddenly remembered where I was. I slowly disentangled myself from my love, unintentionally nudging her awake in the process.

As she looked at me through half open eyes, she murmured, "Why are you leaving? I'm so cold now," and pouted, trying to drag me back into bed with her, as I got dressed.

"I'm sorry, my rose, but the castle is stirring, and I can't be caught here." I kissed her before, as I was about to reach the door, I heard footsteps, and decided the window would probably be safer.

I climbed out and easily made it back to my room two floors above, before slipping into my window and jumping into bed to pretend to be asleep.

A minute later, Robb burst in, out of breath, as though he had just run up all the stairs in the castle. As I had no idea who it was when I heard the noise, I already had my bow out and an arrow pointed at his head.

Seeing the arrow, he dropped to the floor, letting out a screech. "I'm sorry Daniel," he breathed whilst attempting to get up, "but I heard from the guards that they saw a man in black clothing scale the castle walls and climb into your room, not minutes ago. I feared it might be an assassin."

I laughed, before getting out of bed, helping Robb up. "As you can see by my clothing, that was me, but you mustn't tell anyone. Lady Margaery's room is two floors below this one, and there was a maid in the corridor as I was about to leave." This was Robb's cue to laugh, and turn red, which made me wonder where he had been last night, and why he was up so early. I reminded myself to question Mya later.

I quickly got changed, and we went down together to break our fast, stopping off at our intendeds' rooms to collect them. As we were about to enter the great hall, I was stopped by the King-slayer, who tried to redirect me by saying, "Daniel, your family is eating in their chambers, I would advise you join them."

Brushing him aside, I replied, "that's all well and good, but I'll be eating with the Starks. Robb has extended me the invitation, and as my sister will be eating here, and my father at a brothel, the only people I would be eating with would be Lannisters, and you know of my feelings towards your kind." He looked stunned as we wondered past him and into the Great Hall of Winterfell.

Margaery leaned towards me and whispered, "What was that about not being blazon?" whilst smirking. I laughed and pulled her close to me as I was beckoned to sit next to Lord Eddard, no doubt for him to question me about my relationship.

"So Daniel," he started, "When did this happen?" he gestured to Margaery.

"Well," I started, "as you know, I've been at Highgarden for the past two years, and in love with Margaery for approximately the last year, 364 days, 20 hours and 30 minutes, really ever since our first conversation. I still remember it like it was yesterday…

I had just entered the great hall, and I was exhausted, having ridden non-stop from King's Landing, barely escaping Lannister cutthroats, who had been out for my head. I was entranced by the beauty of Highgarden, with glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, but quickly remembered that it was not built by the Tyrells, but by the Gardeners, Kings of the Reach since the invasion of the First men.

As I entered the hall, the talking all around the room stopped, wondering whom this intruder to their feast was. I quickly approached the high table and kneeled before Lord Tyrell, while he just gaped open mouthed at me. After a minute, his mother, the Lady Olenna Tyrell, broke the silence, asking, "Who are you?"

I quickly rose, brushing my hair out of my face, before replying, "I am Daniel of the House Baratheon, the first of my name, Lord of Storm's End, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, the son of King Robert I. I was sent here to be fostered by you, and am surprised not to be greeted in a normal custom."

At hearing this, I could see Mace's brain ticking, thinking of a way to reply to this, as his face got redder and redder, before finally his eyes rolled backwards into his head and he passed out.

Another minute passed and finally I spoke out, "Well that's new. I can honestly say I have never seen anyone pass out from embarrassment, although I've tried a few times myself."

This broke the tension, and soon everyone was talking again, and I was seated between the two youngest Tyrell children, Loras and Margaery. Immediately, Margaery, who I noticed even then, despite my weary state, was stunningly beautiful, with long wavy brown hair and big beautiful eyes, seemed to be ignoring me (as Loras chatted politely about swords and what weapons I preferred).

Tired as I was, in the lovely comfort of the high chair, with the drone of the feast and Loras' chatter in my ears, I quickly fell asleep.

It was hours later that I awoke, being gently nudged by Lady Margaery, as I noticed the hall was empty except for us. "It seems like you've been riding a little too long, my lord." She giggled.

As I got up, I apologised profusely before she led me out of the hall, towards my quarters. We walked in silence until we arrived at our destination, and when she made to leave, I asked, "Why did you ignore me? I'm going to be part of your family for the foreseeable future, so we may as well get to know each other."

"You're a prince," she replied, as if that explained everything. When I raised an eyebrow, she continued, "You expect everyone to do everything for you, for beautiful women to fall in love with you because of who your father is. I'm not going to do that. In fact, I've been discouraged to do so, as my father would prefer me to get close to the Crown Prince, not the third in line."

I laughed as I realised what she meant, before laughing and saying, "I see you've met my half-brother, the blonde-haired shit who believes himself the best thing since the wheel, the cruel sadistic bastard who treats everyone who's not himself, his mother, his father or his grandfather, like they couldn't be worth less of his time.

"I like to think I'm the opposite of him: caring, honourable and, above all, smart." Now she raised her eyebrow, so I decided to elaborate. "I spent five years with the Starks of Winterfell, commonly acknowledged to be the most honourable family in the land, I gave all the Lannisters following me quick deaths, which I learnt from my uncle Stannis, when I spent a year with him on Dragonstone, the person I'm closest to is my sister and I've learnt to be politically savvy from a mixture of Lords Baelish, Varys and Tywin Lannister, who spent a year in kings Landing when I was ten."

She smirked, before saying, "Perhaps I was wrong, but you'll have to prove it to me," and leaving.

It was from that moment that I knew that I had to win her heart, as she had just won mine.

The Stark table was silent for a moment, pondering on what I had been saying, before Arya started feigning vomiting noises, and everyone started laughing.