Game of Thrones: Accidentally in Love
Chapter 10 of my Game of Thrones story, enjoy.
Reviews
Boris Yeltsin: Thanks; yeah, it will.
Marina Ka-Fai: Glad you like it, yeah she is, although truthfully, knowing Arya, Princess merely due to her marriage :)
wazzup11: Thanks :)
canonman89: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, really, cool.
Veridissima: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it; glad you liked them :)
Wolfgirl2013: Thanks and yep :)
ESO: Thanks and yeah, this is when things go downhill slightly. Trust me, that's light compared to other cliffhangers I do. That doesn't come up yet and isn't as big a deal as it is in the series, since in this, Robert has a true heir, Gendry. In fact, it doesn't even go that far as Ned and Cersei work out a reasonable compromise. Wouldn't really be able to work that in I'm afraid.
Now onto the story.
Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin.
Chapter 10
King Robert was troubled, as was Lord Eddard Stark; currently they were both seated in the royal chambers, with Cersei, Joffrey, Sansa and Septa Mordane present. It had started recently, first from the chambermaids, but not spread almost everywhere in the capital.
A rumour was being whispered, a troubling rumour. Prince Gendry and his wife had not yet consummated their marriage. It was raising a lot of troublesome questions and was also the butt of a few jokes which were bordering on insulting.
"This is proving problematic Ned." Robert stated simply.
Ned nodded. "I agree, but what do you propose we do about this?"
Robert sighed. "I'm not sure. We need to find some way of quelling these rumours."
As Ned nodded in agreement, Mordane sniffed delicately.
"I do not understand this; why would they not consummate their marriage, Lady…Princess Arya's duty demands that she…"
Before she could finish, Joffery cut across her. "I can't understand why my brother hasn't simply taken his wife yet, he's well within his rights to do so, being the future king and all."
Ned stiffened at that, Joffrey's implication wasn't hard to miss; he felt Gendry should simply claim Arya's maidenhead, regardless of her wishes, regardless of whether she was willing or not.
"Joffrey, a woman can say no, she has that right." Cersei remarked sharply. "Your brother is simply being nice to his wife. Caring about her wishes…"
She turned her gaze towards Mordane and emphasized. "Her concerns."
Mordane lowered her gaze at that; Cersei making it clear that she felt Arya was simply not ready yet and Gendry respected that.
Joffrey however shook his head and scoffed.
"He's being weak."
Cersei glared. "Weak, you would say such a thing about your own brother, your future king?"
"Enough!" Robert shouted, stopping them from going any further. "As much as I hate it, Joffrey is right to a degree. People are starting to mock Gendry, through him; they mock me and my house. I've heard them, the Baratheon seed is weak."
He glowered and they waited, wondering what he had in mind.
Finally he spoke. "It has to be done; they must consummate their marriage."
"With witnesses, there to see it happen, as it happens, so there can be no doubt that is has actually been done." Joffrey said quickly.
That shocked everybody in the room; Sansa most of all, could hardly believe her beloved prince was making such a suggestion.
'It seems so wrong but…under the circumstances, for the good of the realm; there may not be another choice.' She thought to herself.
Ned however shook her head. "My prince, this is insane. I cannot just let someone see my daughter in such an intimate matter. What goes on in a marriage bed should remain solely between the man and woman."
Joffrey just smirked. "You don't want anyone else to see her, so why don't you be the witness, you watch and ensure it is done."
"Joffrey!" Cersei gasped, scandalized.
Joffrey however remained smirking, clearly pleased with his idea.
With a heavy sigh, Robert stood up.
"Cersei, don't…I know how you feel but, this lack of intimacy between them, the rumours it has sparked is embarrassing for all of us. It must be done and we cannot have any doubt. Joffrey, is right in this regard." He said; before announcing, with finality. "They shall do it, with witnesses, from both families involved."
Grinning widely, already anticipating what he would see, Joffrey spoke up.
"I'll gladly be Gendry's witness." He said; at the same time thinking. 'Ugly though she may be, I'll bet the Stark bitch actually looks good naked.'
Ned gaped, horrified by this. "Your Grace, this is…"
"I'm sorry Ned, but, this is how it must be. You must choose the witness from your family." Robert said at last.
Ned bit back a groan, just then however, Sansa spoke up.
"Father, I will do it. It has to be done; I understand you can't, that you're uncomfortable. I will do my duty as a sister." She announced; all the while, thinking to herself. 'It will allow me a moment with Prince Joffrey too, and to learn what awaits me, when I am married.'
While there was some murmured approval, particularly from Joffrey; Ned turned to Sansa.
"Sansa, are you certain?" He asked, worriedly.
She nodded. "I am; hopefully, being there will help put Arya at ease; despite the circumstances."
"I…I see." Ned said, giving up at last. "Well, now we need to explain it to them."
Cersei, who had been sitting quietly, deep in thought, finally spoke. "I will do it; I will tell them."
Robert nodded. "Very well; two nights from now, it will be done, I want everything ready."
They all nodded and Cersei departed; pondering how to break this news to Gendry and Arya.
So it was that Cersei later entered the chambers of her son and his wife. She noticed Arya moving as if hiding something while Gendry greeted her. Arya then turned and also greeted her; slightly wary.
'We've never really seen eye to eye, never really friends, especially since that incident with the butcher boy.' Cersei noted. 'But it seems we both recognize each other as strong women, there's at least a respect there…That is enough, I am sure.'
She focused again as Gendry spoke.
"So, mother, to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?" He asked.
Cersei sighed. "This isn't easy, for me to say, or for both of you hear…"
With that she explained everything; watching as their expressions changed from shock, to horror, to anger and back again.
"What?" Gendry burst out, when she had done. "But, mother, this is…"
She shook her head. "I tried Gendry, I did. But your father wants it, what a king wants, a king gets…He won't hear a word against it."
Gendry growled and turned away, slamming his fist into the armoire as he did so.
Arya shook her head. "Urgh, this is…Two nights from now, we have to…"
Cersei spoke gently. "Arya, your father was against it as well, but there wasn't much he could do. Think of the two nights as a gift, to prepare yourselves for what awaits."
"Is there no other way?" Arya asked; her anger giving way to frustrated resignation.
Cersei shook her head sadly and left; leaving them both to digest what they had just been told.
Arya turned to Gendry, shaking her head.
"I don't believe this, they, they…urgh." She growled; noting that Cersei had said only her father had protested, yet apparently her sister felt it was fine, she would even be watching her. "Now your creep of a brother is going to, to see me…"
Gendry sighed; he understood Arya's frustrations and fears. "I'm not any happier about this than you are. But we're stuck now."
Arya nodded slowly, both of them now resigned to their fate.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.