Robb now had another Lannister in custody, and asked him "Lord Tyrion, I am pleased you are being more reasonable than your late father. Now where are my lady sisters?"
"You are using that word loosely to refer to the younger one," Tyrion japed. "She escaped. They made me marry the older one."
"I'm sure that was real hard on you," Robb japed back. It was his sister, but he wasn't blind.
"She's barely past her twelfth nameday – I'm The Imp, but I'm not a monster!"
"You are implying that it's unconsummated?" Robb analyzed.
"Yes," Tyrion confirmed.
"Then we shall find her and go to the Great Sept Of Baelor to talk to the High Septon about an annulment," Robb announced.
There had been very real battle on the King's Landing tourney grounds. Stark battering rams had forced open the Lion Gate and King's Gate, also on the southwest side of the city. Similarly, Daenerys' forces had opened the River Gate on the southeast ride facing the Blackwater Rush. Supposedly, Daenerys and her guards had been the first through after the portcullis yielded to the ram, and then the city yielded. A bold woman. We are even more alike than I thought.
Robb himself would have been first through one of the western gates had he not been occupied by steel-based discussions with Tywin Lannister. His ram crews had made an end run around the remnants of the Lannister-Tyrell army. Some Western and Reach soldiers respected Tyrion's orders to stand down if common sense had not already brought them to that conclusion. When Robb arrived at the Lion Gate, most of his soldiers had already poured through. The stragglers parted for their king.
Tyrion led them to his quarters, the group walking slowly to account for the dwarf's stunted legs. Some of Sansa's handmaidens were waiting in the solar. "Lady Sansa is in the bedchamber," one of them announced.
"Make that Princess Sansa," Robb said as he smiled. Sansa heard the familiar voice and came running out of that bedchamber. "'Tis such a relief to see you again after the news of Arya's disappearance," he said as they pulled each other close for the first time in what was a few months but felt like ages. He didn't know if she had heard about Bran and Rickon. Furthermore, dwelling on that news could've reminded him of being comforted by Jeyne after he heard it, and this was the worst possible situation in which to get stiff, especially since he wasn't Jaime Lannister. "We're on our way to have the High Septon annul your sham of a marriage," Robb announced.
"Praise the Seven!" Sansa exulted.
Once they reached the sept, one of the septons recognized Robb and Sansa, saying "We are so sorry Joffrey had this ground profaned with your lord father's blood."
"It is not the Faith's fault, it is Joffrey and Ilyn's. They shall pay," Robb answered. "For now, take us to the High Septon."
Once ushered in, the withered old man said "I have already blessed Daenerys' reign."
"I do not seek favor for my lord brother," Sansa said. "I seek an annulment of the marriage to my lord husband."
"I do not contest it," Tyrion added.
"I need only answer to one of the wedded pair, both is all the better. No matter, somebody fetch a septa," the High Septon continued. It was Moelle of the Most Devout who answered and took Sansa away for an examination. She returned to whisper something positive in the High Septon's ear, who pronounced that marriage annulled.
As they left the sept, Robb had another demand to make of Tyrion. "As we all know, House Lannister has much gold. Some of that will be required to address the damage your House did during the war." Tyrion grimaced. "Houses Stark and Tully, not to mention many minor houses and whatever smallfolk your father's armies failed to kill," Robb said, beginning to list claimants.
"I am already short enough, I do not wish to be rendered a head shorter, arrangements can be made."
"Your prudence is appreciated, Lord Tyrion," Robb acknowledged.
A large man garbed in green and black soon came running. "Cousin Jorah, I see you have returned from exile," Dacey acknowledged.
"That I have, though I may well be exiled to the Wall soon. Ah, Dacey, the oldest of Maege's girls," Jorah said to return the favor. He then turned to Robb. "Your Grace, Queen Daenerys requests your presence." Robb wondered why this messenger acknowledged his title. Well, Jorah was a northman, though he had spent years in the east. Mayhaps it was just to get him to acknowledge the Targaryen woman's crown. He hoped Daenerys had the same idea about a match between them, with him being addressed as a queen's husband as well as a king in his own right.
"Where?" Robb answered.
"The throne room," Jorah announced.
Raynald Westerling had been one of Robb's guards throughout this battle and its aftermath. Raynald was standing next to Sansa in their current formation, and said to her "You are ever so beautiful m'lady, and princesslike is even better than ladylike." She turned several shades of red as he kissed her hand. Good, Robb thought. I hope this holds. A different Stark-Westerling match would be a great idea.
Two young knights struggled to push open the massive doors to the Great Hall. Right inside the doors were two of the Kingsguard. Queensguard now, Robb supposed. He gazed down the cavernous chamber to see their slight young charge atop her throne. Robb expected anyone to look imposing on that bladed throne in that massive chamber. However, it seemed to Robb that Daenerys still would have looked every bit a queen standing in an empty field. Robb stood, silent, but remaining in that state would not impress her as a ruler or a lover. He cleared his throat and stepped forward.
Robb was flanked by sword wielders of his own and did not sense any hostility between the two sets of guards. He saw his own hilt glistening on his left hip, but knew fingering it would appear hostile. As his feet brought him closer to the throne, he saw the queen's gorgeous blonde hair elegantly draped over her body – no, lighter than blonde even. Her deep purple eyes burned into everyone in the hall, but especially him.
Although Daenerys sat, they metaphorically stood as equals, so neither bowed or removed a crown. "Here I am, Your Grace," Robb said simply.
"And so am I, on the throne that rightfully came to me from my forefathers," she answered. "You did keep your faith with former king Lord Stannis," she stated. For her I'd gladly break my faith with Lord Frey, Robb thought, even more certain of that seeing her in the flesh. I'd rather like to see more of her flesh, Robb japed to himself. "I shall maintain it. Your army was instrumental in defeating the pretender. These things I wanted to acknowledge publicly," she explained.
There were four Queensguard standing at the foot of the dais that held the throne. With the two at the doors and Jaime in captivity, that made all seven. One of Daenerys' Dothraki guards stood in the middle of those four, his sword with a hooked blade instead of a straight one.
"I want a private audience with His Grace," Daenerys told the crowd.
"'Tis fine by me, seems there are far worse things that the Her Grace's presence," Robb answered. They retreated to the council chambers, each posting a couple swords outside the door. Robb told Lord Umber's son to hold his tongue for once. Dacey was not so boisterous to begin with.
"There's something else you want to say. Go on, say it," Daenerys encouraged.
It seems she had read Robb's mind. "Gods, you're beautiful," he admitted.
"I know it and have heard it more times than I can count, but I wanted to hear someone like you say it," Daenerys confirmed.
"So the feeling is mutual," Robb answered, a weight lifted off his shoulders. Gods knew he had more than enough weights on his shoulders, especially at only five-and-ten.
He extended his arm to shake her hand, and she parried "I don't think that's how you want to touch me, and I know that's not how I want it". He was impressed with her, he didn't just want to press into her, but that too. So Robb hooked the arm around her back and pulled her close, using his other hand to brush hair out of her eyes before mating his lips with hers. She threw herself into it, wrapping her arms around his back to pull him yet closer. "I do believe this was meant to be, Your Grace," Robb said as he broke the liplock.
"We need to keep this quiet," Daenerys stated. "My guards don't understand Common anyway. Can we trust the discretion of yours?"
"Yes, and especially these two. The big man, Lord Jon Umber's son of the same name, is already prone to rude gossip, so the men are not like to believe him. Lady Dacey Mormont isn't personally attracted to me so she's not like to care."
Robb and Daenerys had both ensured that their armies not threaten the other. Drunken scuffles were the worst of their contact, some injurious or deadly, but that very well could happen amongst one's own troops. Robb had given orders not to pillage, and it seems Daenerys had as well. Rapes were an exception rather than the rule as it all too often was when cities were sacked.
However, the whores of King's Landing were already growing bowlegged. Robb saw one of his soldiers, wearing the armored fist of House Glover, stumble drunkenly out of a brothel. Evidently he had not paid the whore, as a woman came out chasing after him. In the presence of his king, he suddenly realized the error of his ways. He lifted the whore's skirts, pulled a silver stag from his purse, and shoved it right up the whore's cunt. Several of Robb's men hooted and hollered while the ever ladylike Sansa was appropriately displeased. Robb saw one of the coins the man had spilled, and recognized his own face. Some of the first coins struck bearing his visage had been used to pay the soldiers on this march. It was a highborn lady who had made a man out of me, and I may well be bedding a queen in the near future, but I ended up inside a whore after all, Robb japed to himself.
The peace between wolf and dragon was not due solely to the affection of their leaders for each other, but also to a common enemy. The dragon's forces had found the lion-and-stag king, and Robb rushed to the scene upon receiving the messenger. The Dothraki guard Robb recognized from the throne room cuffed Joffrey as rudely as the little bastard deserved, pressing that sword to his throat. Another Dothraki said something to the guard in their native language and he pulled his blade away but maintained a firm grip of Joffrey's clothing. A Baratheon soldier was the one to explain the situation to Robb in Common. "This usurper's white cloaks had already left to serve their rightful queen, but the boy himself got off some crossbow bolts before being taken."
A group of both Stark and Targaryen soldiers would storm Ilyn's chambers. One of Daenerys' servants, a thick Dothraki girl, stayed in the rear to translate. Robb kicked in the door, being first through the 'main gate' like he had been at the Crag. The Dothraki guard's whip quickly ensnared the target. "You have something for me, Ser Ilyn," Robb snapped.
The mute pointed to a large dark blade in the corner, with the smoky rippled pattern characteristic of Valyrian steel. The material was incredibly strong and light, so it was a shame the secret of its manufacture had been lost. Robb was not a short man, but Ice was even taller than he was. It had been Eddard's before Ilyn used it to remove Eddard's head. To add insult to that cruel act, Ice had not been returned to House Stark whose lords had wielded it for hundreds of years.
Robb picked it up for the first time, lifting it through the air. Moving the light metal seemed almost effortless compared to the heavy regular steel he was used to wielding. It was as if his previous sword work was just training for wielding Ice.
Robb wondered what sweet names him and Daenerys might toss around in private instead of surrounded by advisers. Apparently the woman was willing to go by 'Dany', and what a woman she was! For now, their shared glances were obvious enough, and the heavy matter before them did not admit to more such thoughts. "I wish to kill the bastard myself," Robb told Daenerys. "It was my father's way, he who passes the sentence shall swing the sword."
"In this matter you shall serve most admirably as Queen's Justice of a sort."
Joffrey and Ilyn were dragged towards the Great Sept Of Baelor – they would not be executed on its steps so as to appeal to the Faith, but they would meet their fate on the grounds nearby. Lord Umber's son was charged with Ilyn's arrest. Cersei would not be made to watch her son die as Sansa and Arya had with their father.
Robb was again reminded of when his father had taken them to observe the execution of a deserter, a day that stuck in their minds even further for finding the direwolf pups on the return trip. Lord Umber's son pushed Joffrey down. Robb again channeled the words his father had said that fateful day. "In the name of Daenerys Targaryen First Of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, Rhoynar and First Men, Lady of the Southern Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, I do hereby sentence you to die." One swing of the light yet powerful blade delivered that sentence, cleanly separating the ex-king's head and body. Ilyn, rendered silent in mouth by the Mad King all this years ago, was more silent in body than Joffrey as he met the same fate.
A match to Daenerys had made sense to Robb for awhile now, but meeting her made it seem like the most perfect idea in the Known World. They were inseparable during those few days in King's Landing. Some thought it was a gesture of peace and planning of alliances. Robb was especially glad the Freys believed that. However, the young monarchs' inner circles had come to know better. "The two of us together seem perfect for each other and perfect for our realms," Robb intoned as one of his many private meetings with Daenerys drew to a close. "Will you be my queen as well as your own?" he offered.
"Of course I will," she said as she smiled.
Apparently he had really found his queen this time. He wrote two letters in his own hand. One was addressed to the whole of the Riverrun garrison. We won a decisive victory capped by me slaying Tywin in single combat. Tyrion, the new Lord Lannister, is proving much more cooperative. Daenerys sits the Iron Throne. The peace with her and Lord Stannis holds. Joffrey has been executed.
As for the second, he told the raven keeper "Mark it as being for my lady mother's eyes only." Definitely not for Frey eyes, Robb thought, because it announced his upcoming wedding to someone of another House. It read Sansa is safe. She was married off to Tyrion Lannister against the wishes of either, but it was unconsummated and has been annulled. Arya had already escaped the city, current whereabouts unknown. I recovered Ice and used it to avenge myself upon Joffrey and Ilyn. I am betrothed to Queen Daenerys – I am fascinated with her, and her with me; the match makes perfect sense for love as well as politics.
A/N
Finally Robb and Daenerys meet! Now this is a Robb/Daenerys fic like I said and not just Robb/Jeyne anymore.
Also, the reparations idea came from FFN airdream245 via PM.