(A/N: Thank you all for your support and kindness. It means a lot. So in celebration of the Purple Wedding I bring you another chapter. Remember, updates will be every Friday 9PM GMT. Enjoy.
- AGOF)
III: The Kingsroad
"Speak well and true, Daenerys." Lord Stark said to her as her and Robb sat by the small fire in the darkened room, facing Eddard. She still trembled slightly and her dress was a damp, muddy mess. Blood smeared across her red cheek and droplets formed down her corset. "My Lord… he just ran from behind me. He- he um, pinned me down inside the-… the crypts." She held her goblet of wine tightly as she spoke, feeling Robb's warms hands rested on her knee giving it a small supportive squeeze.
"Was there any words this man spoke?" Eddard asked from his seat as Ice rested across his knees and his hand ran over the blade as if to feel the pattern of the sword. Daenerys knew the words and knew them well and for a minute her throat began to grow sore again. She sipped more wine and put the goblet on the table beside her.
"Are you well?" Robb leant forward to her but Eddard hushed him.
"Let her take her time. She is in shock." He told Robb, who sat back in his chair and formed a fist with his hand. Looking from the window he said; "I could kill the culprit twenty times more." Daenerys looked at him for the first time since he stuck Ice into the assassins neck. If it was not for him leaving his archery kit just by the crypt then he would not have heard her feeble cries.
"Robb! The girl is not well and you speak of such-"
"The Lannisters send their regards." Daenerys said in a small voice. Looking at Eddard she saw his face drop and him sit further back into his chair. Robb tensed and removed his hand from her knee and put it upon his sword. "Why would they want me dead?"
Eddard paused for a moment as he looked at her face. Pure, innocent and in every bit like her mother. He remembered Lyanna's words; "Please Ned!".
"Not any reason that I could think of." He lied. But her eyes stared into his and it was hard to lie to such a innocent and young girl. "I wish to go." Daenerys looked away. Knowing he was not being honest but she did not want to know. The Lannisters were due and she would not be happy to stare at them knowing why they wanted her cold. "If you wish." Eddard said.
She nodded and stood up slowly, cringing as her sore legs and her spinning head. Everything was a blur as she stared ahead. "I'll take her to her room." Robb stood instantly. His pulled his cloak from her and wrapped her in it making her feel warmer but like she carried a thousand bricks on her shoulders. To keep her up, Robb placed his arm around her and pulled her close.
Leaving the room she wondered about the attack. She felt the need to know but didn't want to all the same. She just wanted to rest and stay warm. Robb was due to go hunting with the family and she didn't want to keep him so midway she broke the silence between them. "Go, Robb."
"No." He said bluntly.
"I'll be fine, I can manage." Daenerys told him but he pulled her into him more. She sighed as he saw him shake his head. "No."
They carried on until they reached the door of her chamber and she removed the heavy cloak from her shoulders and passed it to Robb. "Will you be OK?" He asked.
She saw the worry in his eyes, "I'll be fine. Thank you Robb. You saved my life today but don't do it again." She turned to open the door but he stopped her.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Why not?" She frowned, she was too tired to remember anything.
"Why not save you again?" Robb asked her with a perplexed look on his face. She did not want to answer that but she had to. "Because I'm practically a nobody. A claimed bastard, a commoner, a debt to pay. There's something that links me to the Targaryens," He looked down, "I know that Robb, but I don't know how and it's confusing me. Why would you want to save me?" She didn't want the answer. She opened the door and walked in.
Robb looked back at her before leaning forward and kissing her lips before moving away and cupping her face, his hands warming her skin. "Because you're my nobody." He looked into her eyes before walking away.
She shut the door and locked it tightly before collapsing onto her bed. Suddenly, she had energy. She wanted to smile and dance. His kiss had let her swoon and feel like a girl. A proper girl. And for one moment, she could let herself love him.
She peeled her dress from her body and slid herself into the steaming hot bath that sat waiting for her. The hot water carrying her body as she sunk deeper. Her eyes closed and the swore feelings swept away from her body. She was in a divine place.
"Kathryn!" Her maiden, Avery Weavers, a daughter of a blacksmith, ran toward her, "The water is too hot!" She nearly screamed. Daenerys stared up at her and looked at the water around her before saying; "But Avery, its fine."
Avery dabbled her finger in it only to pull away sharply. Nearly cursing she looked at Daenerys, "It's boiling!"
Daenerys felt nothing as she remained in the tub shooing Avery away so she could relax. Avery was sent to her because for a blacksmiths daughter she was too feminine. Screaming at bugs, crying at blood, complaining about dirt. Her father left her here whilst visiting and in Catelyn's words 'send a bastard to a bastard' she arrived in Daenerys chamber to serve.
It had been a long two hours of her being in the tub and she felt it become cold so she climbed out, wrapping her naked body in clothe to dry her wet body. Avery stood by to help but Daenerys preferred to do it herself. She was no noble.
She climbed into a gown as the afternoon turned into dusk and she sunk into her warm, thick quilts. Wrapping them tightly around her as she closed her eyes, Avery knitting in the corner by the fire as she did every night. Suddenly, her door opened and she heard heavy footsteps head for her. Alert and panicking and grabbed a letter opener from her beside and pointed it at Robb.
"You fool!" She threw the pathetic weapon aside and sat back in bed. He placed himself at the end of it and chuckled to himself before pulling a small pup from his furs. "Robb… what is that?" She looked at it with wide eyes.
"A direwolf. Just for you." He place it on her lap as she sat upright and stroked it. The wolf cuddled into her lap and sat there allowing her to run her fingers over it. "It's… beautiful!" She looked at Robb, "Thank you." But he just smiled.
"It's yours now. What will you call it?" He asked her as he stroke the pup too. Their hands brushed together occasionally. She thought for a moment before deciding on a name, "Snow." She looked up at him as he looked up at her.
"Thank you." She repeated. But he still stared at her and she smiled widely, "What?"
"You're beautiful." He told her making her cheeks redden but her smile fade. She looked back to Snow and stroked behind his ear masking him turn on his back allowing her to stroke his belly. "Hey," Robb lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "You are beautiful."
She felt tears sting her eyes and looked back down to not let Robb see it. She took his hand in hers and gave it a slight squeeze. Her fear had gone, he was not so bad as she once thought. "When the Lannisters come, I promise you, they will no longer have their golden heads."
She stared at him, her heart jumping at the words as she thought about it. And smiled.
