Author's Note: Another fast chapter! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed my story!

Special thanks to Maddie Rose for reading through this. Just a reminder this chapter is rated M, so if that's not your thing just skip the ending! As always, don't forget to let me know what you think!

Chapter 11: Firsts

"Morning, Bran," Maliya greeted cheerfully as she swept into his room, hiding something behind her back. She paused at his bedside, her smile faltering at the confused and worried look on his face. "What's the matter? Are you alright?"

His expression cleared when he noticed her and he quickly brushed off her concerns. "I'm alright, just thinking about a silly dream." He looked at her questioningly. "What are holding behind your back?"

"The best game that only the smartest of us can play," Maliya told him excitedly, pulling the box from behind her back and placing it beside him on the bed. "My brother Trystane gave this to me as a farewell gift when I left Dorne. It's called Cyvasse."

"I've never heard of it," Bran said, picking up the box and examining inside.

"That's because it originated in Volantis and it's not popular in Westeros yet. My Uncle Oberyn brought it back from one of his travels overseas." She examined him closely. "So what do you think? Do you want to play? I can teach you."

"Yes!" A wide smile spread across his face, but he hesitated, glancing to the door and back. "Only… Robb said that I've practiced on Dancer for long enough and that we could go riding today."

Maliya carefully sat down on the bed beside him, her mood darkening slightly at what Robb was currently doing. He had received a letter today containing grave news, and had left immediately to converse with Maester Luwin about what should be done. "Robb told me that he was going to take you riding. He has a few things to take care of first, but he said that he will come find you when he is finished."

Bran was smiling again. "Alright, then, Maliya! Teach me how to play."

Pleased to see Bran in such good spirits, Maliya opened the box and pulled out the board. "Listen carefully, Bran, because this game can be quite confusing. The board is split into two halves, separated with this screen while we set up our homelands." She pulled it up so that neither of them could see the other's side. "Each of us will receive thirty two tiles, which consist of mountains, water, forests, grass and a fortress." She briefly explained how each tile worked, such as how only dragons can pass over the mountains and how water stops a piece's movement once they enter it and they have to skip a turn. "Each of us will also get ten unit pieces with their own special abilities. All the pieces can capture a piece of their same type or lower, the one ranked above it, and the King. The rabble is the weakest, then the spearman, crossbow man, light horse, heavy horse, elephant, catapult, trebuchet, the dragon and the king." She continued to explain each piece before pausing. "Understand everything so far?"

Bran nodded, a serious, contemplative look on his face. "Rabble, spearmen, elephants, trebuchets and the king can move one space at a time. The king can capture or be captured by any other pieces, the dragon can move anywhere on the board but can't attack forests, the light horse can move three spaces, the heavy horse two, and the crossbowmen, the trebuchet and the catapult can capture the dragon." Maliya blinked in surprise, a strange look crossing her face. "Maliya? What is it?"

"Nothing," Maliya sighed, smiling sadly and shaking her head. "You just remind me a lot of my brother. You're both very intelligent." Bran's grin widened proudly as Maliya continued to explain how the game worked. "And that's it, the game ends when one of the person's kings are captured. Any questions?" Bran shook his head. "Alright, let's get started then. We'll set up the tiles and the pieces and then we'll lower the screen and attack! You ready?"

"I am. The rules seem fairly simple." Maliya frowned at that, choosing not to mention that it had made zero sense to her when her uncle had tried to teach her and that it had taken a fortnight for her to truly understand the game. "Are you ready to lose?" Bran taunted teasingly, causing her eyebrows to shoot up and a snort to leave her lips.

"Yes, you and Trystane are very much alike," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Alright, Brandon Stark. Let us see what you've got."

Maliya played the game the way she usually did, but Bran, a first timer, consistently blocked her usual moves. She was forced time and time again to rethink her strategy, her frown deepening each time. It had been several months since she had last played this game and she had forgotten how much thinking and strategy was necessary. The game lasted well over an hour, until finally, with a feeling of triumph, Maliya made her move. "Well played, Bran," she congratulated with a smile, stretching her sore neck and back – she had been hunched over the board and only now just felt the stiffness. "That was a good game."

"But I lost," Bran sighed in frustration, looking disappointed.

"It was your first game," she reminded him gently, smiling. "I've been playing for years now. Besides, how do you expect to learn if you never lose?"

Bran gave her a pointed look. "This isn't going to turn into some life lesson, is it?"

Maliya rolled her eyes again. "Don't worry, I'm not my father."

A knock came at the door and they both looked around to see Robb enter the room, Hodor behind him. Maliya's eyes flickered over her husband's face. While he smiled for his brother's benefit, Maliya knew to look closely enough to see the worry and concern lurking behind his blue eyes. She was dying to ask him what had happened in his meeting with Maester Luwin, but she knew better than to do so in present company. "Hello, Bran. Sorry I took so long – are you ready?"

"I've been ready ever since Lord Tyrion told me that I can ride again!" Bran answered excitedly, practically bouncing up and down on his bed. "Come on, Hodor! Take me to Dancer."

"Hodor," Hodor grinned, lumbering into the room and lifting Bran into his arms and leaving.

Maliya cleaned up the game, putting the board and the pieces back in the box before closing it and standing. "Everything alright?" Maliya murmured quietly, walking over to him.

He looked down at her warmly, placing a knuckle under her chin and lifting her face to place a sweet kiss to her lips. She smiled up at him when he pulled away and he sighed, slipping an arm around her waist as they left Bran's room. "It's better now."

She paused at the doorway to their bedchambers. "Go have fun with Bran. You can tell me about it when you get back."

Robb frowned at her, confused. "You don't want to come with us?"

Maliya tilted her head to the side, her own eyebrows furrowing. "I didn't think I was invited. I thought that you wanted some time with your brother – "

"I have been spending much time with Bran, but today there are important things that we need to discuss," Robb interrupted. "Grab your cloak, Theon is waiting for us by the stables."

Maliya stifled the urge to wrinkle her nose at his name – ever since the night that he had sang in front of the Great Hall, the relationship between her and Theon had been…. Tolerable at best. They definitely weren't friends, but by some unspoken agreement they had stopped insulting each other. Maliya hurriedly put the cyvasse game back in her trunk and slipped on her cloak before joining Robb and heading towards the stables.

"Come on, Robb, hurry up!" Bran shouted as soon as they came into sight. Maliya couldn't help her smile even in the face of the terrible news that Robb had received. Bran's wide, carefree grin was nearly blinding from atop of Dancer, and his eyes were dancing with happiness. His legs were strapped securely into the saddle so there was no danger of him falling off, but there was still a part of Maliya that watched him nervously.

"Alright, Bran, go ahead," Robb laughed as Theon joined them. "But you're not to go too fast and you have to stay where I can see you, is that understood?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Bran called, brushing off his older brother's concerns. "Let's go already!"

"Should I have grabbed my sword?" Maliya asked with a frown, just noticing Robb's sword belted at his waist and the bows and arrows strapped to Theon's back.

"Need I remind you that you are a lady," Theon pointed out, raising his eyebrows. "Ladies do not carry swords."

Maliya rolled her eyes as they exited the gates of Winterfell and entered the forest. "Ladies in the north, you mean. Besides, if we get attacked who's going to save your sorry assess again?"

"Don't start," Robb interrupted quickly, noticing the heated look in Theon's eyes. "There are things both of you need to know. I've already spoken with Maester Luwin about this, but someone has recently told me that I need to listen to all advice before I make my decision." Maliya hid a secret smile at his words, but Robb was interrupted as Bran let out several whooping yells, looking happier than they had seen him in a long time. "Not too far!" Robb reminded him, watching him fondly.

"What is it that we need to know?" Theon pressed.

Robb wiped a weary hand over his face, sitting down on a large rock in the middle of the clearing, Theon next to him. Maliya crossed her arms, watching Bran as he was forced to circle around them, but he was so happy to be outside the castle walls that he didn't seem to care. "There's been news from King's Landing. The Lannisters have killed all of our men and the Kingslayer has put a spear through my father's leg."

Maliya's head snapped around to look at him, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What?" She gasped, her mouth opening and closing. "They did what? But… why?"

Robb looked like he had aged several years, his expression conflicted. "Apparently, my mother has captured Tyrion Lannister for attempting to murder Bran."

Maliya's mind was whirling, her thoughts jumping from one to the next. "Based on what evidence? Do you think she found something in King's Landing?"

Robb shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, we haven't heard from her."

"Blood for blood," Theon interrupted them in a dark voice, his usual smirk missing from his face. "You need to make the Lannisters pay for what they've done to Jory and the others."

Robb shook his head, looking unconvinced. "You're talking about starting a war, Theon – "

"The Kingslayer already started the war when he put a spear through your father's leg," Theon argued hotly, his voice passionate. "You need to raise the banners, because you can be assured that the Lannisters are rallying their own men."

Robb's jaw clenched as he turned his blue gaze to hers. "And you? What do you think?"

Maliya spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. "The Lannisters deserve to pay for what they have done," she declared, wondering if they could hear her hatred of them seeping into her voice. "But if you are going to declare war… make sure you've thought it through. It can't be a rash decision, it affects more lives and families than just ours. In this instance though, Robb, it is yours to make, not ours. You are the Lord of Winterfell and you are the only one who can call your bannermen."

Theon gave her a look that told her he clearly didn't agree with her words before turning to Robb expectantly. "So? What is it going to be?"

Robb looked away from both of them, his eyes scanning the woods. Blood draining from his face, he stood and with a horrified feeling flooding through her, Maliya realized that they had been so busy talking that they had forgotten to keep an eye on Bran. "Where is he?" Robb demanded, the worry evident in his voice. "Where is Bran?"

Theon stood too, looking around. "He can't have gotten that far. We should split up, we'll cover more ground that way."

"Agreed," Robb answered. "I'll go this way. Maliya, you're unarmed so you're coming with me. Whistle if you find him." Theon nodded and took off.

Robb made to do the same, but Maliya called after him. "Wait!" He turned back around, his eyes widening as she hiked up her dress, revealing the holster strapped around the thigh of her bare leg. She unsheathed two daggers, the other hidden in her boot. "Just in case," she told him once she was armed, feeling more secure with the daggers in her hand.

"We are going to discuss you walking around with weapons hidden under your skirts later," Robb told her with a pointed look, before jogging off in the last direction that they saw Bran. Both of them ran through the forest, keeping silent as they followed the trail that Dancer made as best they could. They leapt over a small stream and dodged trees. Robb skidded to a stop at one point, holding up a finger. "Listen! Do you hear that?"

Straining her ears, she finally heard Dancer give a nervous whinny from up ahead and they both doubled their speed. "Seven hells," Maliya swore softly when they finally came upon Bran. He was still seated atop his horse, but he was surrounded by five people, one of which was a woman and two of which were clothed similarily to the way Robb's Uncle Benjen had been dressed at their wedding.

"Drop the knife!" Robb snapped loudly, drawing his sword, his face thunderous. Maliya surreptisiously hid her daggers in the folds of her skirt as they whirled around to look at them. "Drop the knife and I'll let you live!"

One of the men spat on the floor at his words, and the other came charging at Robb, brandishing a giant axe above his head and yelling a war cry. Robb sidestepped two swings of the axe, raising his sword to thrust the third away from him and toward the ground. With a snarl on his face, Robb swiftly yanked the sword back towards him, slicing open the man's throat and effectively killing him. Three more of them came at them, all carrying different weapons.

Maliya shifted her stance as they approached, pulling her right arm back and letting the dagger fly where it lodged in one of the men's throat. He fell to the ground, dead, but Maliya had no time to think as another man swung a sword at her head, forcing her to duck and roll. Yelling angrily, Robb knocked them woman's club aside, forcing her to her knees. Grabbing her hair with one hand, Robb pivoted and thrust his sword through Maliya's opponent's chest, spraying her with his blood.

"Robb!" They both heard Bran yell, pausing in the fight to see the largest man holding Bran up with one arm around his neck, the other pressing a knife to his throat.

"Shut up," the man growled, shaking Bran. "Drop your weapons."

"No, don't – "

"Do it!" He ordered, pressing the knife harder into Bran's neck and making him wince.

Maliya's eyes flickered helplessly around them, her mind struggling to come up with a solution that would get them out of this. But the reality was, as long as that man was holding a dagger to Bran's throat there was nothing that they could do. Robb seemed to have come to that conclusion as well because he slowly knelt to place his sword on the ground. Maliya followed his lead, holding her hands out to the side.

"Now – " There was a low twanging noise and suddenly an arrow was protruding from the man's chest, a pained gurgling noise coming from his throat as he dropped Bran and fell to the side, revealing Theon standing several yards behind him his bow in his hand. He notched another arrow as he advanced, and once they were sure the other man wasn't moving, they were able to release the breaths they had been holding.

Shoving the woman down to the ground, Robb ran to Bran's side, his eyes angrily finding the cut on his thigh. "Are you alright?" Robb demanded in a soft voice, obviously trying to hide his fear and relief.

"Yes," Bran answered as Robb lifted him up into his arms. "It doesn't hurt. I'm sorry I wandered off, Robb, I should have listened to you."

Maliya, who had been collecting and replacing her daggers after cleaning them, grabbing Robb's sword and walked toward them. "It seems you learned a lesson today after all Bran," Maliya murmured, placing a hand on his arm and giving it a squeeze, telling her pounding heart that he really was alright. "We're all just glad that you're safe."

"Tough little lad!" Theon joked loudly from where he was standing over the cowering wildling woman with his arrow aimed at her head. "Well done. Robb – "

Robb, who had been examining the bodies surrounding them with a look of disgust and frustration on his face, glared at Theon, looking suddenly furious. "Have you lost your mind?" Robb demanded in a deep voice. "What if you had missed?"

A flash of anger crossed Theon's face. "He would have killed you and your wife and slit Bran's throat!" He argued, sounding offended as well.

"You don't have the right – "

"To what, to save your brother's life?" Theon exploded, his voice laced with bitterness. "It was the only thing to do so I did it."

Much as she was loathe to admit it, even she realized that Theon had in fact saved their lives. She also knew that now was not the time to be arguing about this. "Robb," she interrupted quietly, looking pointedly at Bran. "We need to get back so Maester Luwin can look at Bran's cut."

"Did you see their cloaks?" Theon asked, changing the subject and stowing his anger. "Some of these men were deserters of the Night's Watch."

"We'll hack off their heads and send them back to the Wall," Robb ordered, his face cold and impassive and reminding her so much of his father.

"And her?" Maliya asked, nodding at the wildling woman, her nose wrinkling as the woman cowered in front of them.

"Please m'lord," the woman groveled, glancing up at them and clasping her hands together. "Give me my life and I'm yours."

"We'll keep her alive," Robb declared after a glance down at Bran. The woman's gasp of relief sounded loud in the resulting silence. "It might do well to question her. Bind her hands Theon, we're going to bring her back to Winterfell."

Theon did as he was told, putting his bow and arrow away and pulling out his sword. He yanked the woman to her feet, pressing the sword tip to her back and ordering her to move. Robb followed after him, still holding Bran since the wildlings cut the leg straps on Dancer's saddle. Maliya was left holding Robb's sword and leading Dancer, but she didn't mind. The adrenaline was leaving her system and all that was left was a few lingering emotions.

The first was relief. Relief that Bran was relatively uninjured and that he was safe. The second was this weird attraction that she felt toward her husband right at this moment. She didn't know what it said about her, but seeing Robb wielding his sword and overpowering those men… it did strange things to her insides and she found herself wanting to kiss him. Though she had never felt this herself, she knew from her sister and cousins what it was – lust.

If she had been honest with herself, it had been building since the night in the kitchens. It was little things, the way he would brush her hair back from her face, how he would surprise her with a soft kiss and even how she found herself wrapped in his arms when she would wake each morning. The warmth in her belly when she thought about him was exhilarating and she honestly didn't know what she was waiting for anymore.

An idea sparked in her mind, and a nervous smile flitted across her face. She needed to find Julina when they got back to the castle in order to put her plan into action for tonight.

Maliya held her newly done up hair to the side as Julina tightened the lacings of her wedding dress. It was still just as beautiful as the day that Arianne had revealed it to her back in Dorne, even though it had been sitting unused for the past several months. Julina handed her the looking glass when she was finished and stepped back. Maliya could feel Julina's curious gaze on her as she examined herself. "Can I ask you a question, My Lady?" Julina ventured after a few moments.

Maliya should have expected this – she knew Julina would be intrigued because the only instructions Maliya had given her were, 'I need you to make me look exactly as I did on my wedding night.' Maliya sighed, setting aside the looking glass. "If you must, Julina. Go ahead."

There was a devious look on her face and a smirk playing around the edges of her lips. Maliya marveled at how comfortable Julina had become around her. "Are you going to enact some sort of fantasy of your wedding night?"

Maliya flushed slightly, but she nodded, agreeing with Julina's words. It was better than admitting that she had never actually consummated her marriage with her husband and that while she knew everything there was to know about sex thanks to her cousins and sister, she had never actually done any of it and she felt way out of her depth. "Yes! That is exactly what I'm doing," Maliya told her, smiling as she anxiously smoothed down her dress. "How do I look? Is it odd that I feel sort of breathless – as if I'm about to faint?"

"You still look as beautiful as the day you married Lord Stark," Julina reassured her, still smiling. "And there is no reason to feel nervous, My Lady, anyone with eyes can see that Lord Stark adores you. You could be wearing one of those burlap sacks the horse's feed is delivered in and he would still fall at your feet."

"Don't exaggerate, Julina," Maliya admonished, though her lips curled up slightly. "Are you sure everything's ready? I don't want to forget anything - "

"The fire is lit, there is wine and two cups on the table and the bed is turned down." Julina clasped her hands together, as she rattled off Maliya's instructions. "The only thing that's missing is Lord Robb. Shall I fetch him, My Lady?"

Maliya cleared her throat, smoothing her dress down once more and willing herself not to break out into a cold sweat. "Yes, please. Thank you, Julina." Julina curtsied and left, closing the door behind her and leaving Maliya alone. Unsure of what to do, Maliya crossed the room and poured herself a cup of wine, trying to steel her nerves. She was scared, sure, but she knew it wasn't because Robb would hurt her. She was more scared about what this night might lead to as far as their relationship was concerned.

What if she was terrible? What if Robb stopped liking her after tonight?

Maliya took a large gulp of wine, grimacing at the taste. No matter how often she drank it, it still never tasted like any of the wines back home. Sighing, Maliya drifted to the window, deciding that this waiting was absolute torture. What kind of plan was this anyway? Pinching the bridge of her nose, and realizing it was too late to change anything, she ran through the many years of advice that Arianne and the Sand Snakes had imparted to her, filing away anything vulgar to be looked at another time.

The door suddenly opened, making Maliya gasp and turn, her skirts whirling around her legs. "Maliya, is everything alright? Your handmaiden told me – " She watched him freeze in the doorway, his mouth dropping open, his eyes widening in shock, and Gods forgive her but she thought his look of innocent confusion was adorable. "That's… you're in your wedding dress. Have I somehow traveled back in time?"

Maliya walked towards the center of the room, placing her cup on the table as she passed. "Close the door, Robb."

Robb blinked, still looking confused, but he did as he was told, his eyes still on hers. "What's going on, Princess?" He asked in a quiet voice, approaching her slowly.

Maliya tilted her head to look up at him as he stopped in front of her, willing the damn fluttering in her stomach to stop. Seven hells, if she either vomited or fainted now, she would never forgive herself. She took a deep breath, struggling to get air into her lungs. I am the blood of the dragon. I am not afraid. "We were standing in this spot when you told me that you would not have sex with me until I was ready, until it was something that I wanted."

"Maliya – " Robb tried to interrupt but she cut him off.

"Don't, Robb, I need to get this out." He reluctantly shut his mouth, nodding and silently watching her with those blue eyes. "The girl who flinched away from you that night was angry at the thought of an arranged marriage, and scared of the man who was supposed to be her husband. She was determined to cling to what she thought she knew about him. Truthfully, I barely recognize that girl. Now, however, your family has somehow slipped into my heart… you have slipped into my heart." She could practically hear Robb swallow nervously and hurriedly finished what she was trying to say. "I had Julina help me into my wedding dress because a part of me wants to start over, to go back to that night and finish it the way it was supposed to end. I trust you, Robb," she murmured, stepping closer and placing her hands on his chest. "I want this. I want… us."

Maliya felt nervous all over again as his hands slid around her waist, the warmth and affection on his face was staggering. "I understand what you're saying, Maliya, but I don't want to start over. We've learned so much about each other these past couple of months. We've developed a mutual trust and understanding that wasn't there in the beginning. An experience on our wedding night would not have been as meaningful as an experience now would be."

"But you want this?" Maliya questioned, heart pounding as the uncertainty ate at her. "You want us?"

Robb let out an exasperated laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Of course, you beautiful, silly girl. I've wanted this since our wedding night and I've wanted there to be an us since I saw you in Arya's room, surrounded by my siblings as you told them that story about Nymeria."

"Good answer," Maliya breathed, warmth spreading through her chest.

"Are you sure about this?" Robb asked softly, his gaze searching. "Because we don't have to – "

"I want to," Maliya interrupted, leaning up on her tiptoes and pressing a soft kiss to his lips before pulling away slowly. "We have waited…" Another kiss, longer this time as her arms wound around his neck. "Entirely too long for this."

Robb pulled away this time, his blue eyes darkening with desire, his breathing heavier and Maliya could read the hunger and desire in his expression. "If at any point you want to stop, say the word and I will," he told her seriously.

"I know," Maliya hummed. He bent his head to kiss her again, but she pulled away before he could, eyebrows furrowing. "Have you… have you ever done this before?" Her eyes flickered away from his and back again, shifting anxiously.

"No," Robb admitted. "Though with the way Theon goes on sometimes, I feel like I've had the experience several times over." He paused, tilting his head to the side at the amused grin on her face. "What?"

"Nothing," she murmured, shrugging, her cheeks hurting from smiling. "I'm just… happy."

The corner of Robb's lips lifted, his knuckles trailing down her cheek. "That is exactly what I needed to hear."

"Kiss me, husband," Maliya breathed, her eyes flickering down to his lips, the anticipation killing her. "I want you to know me. I want you to know all of me."

"Gods," Robb groaned huskily, his eyes darkening further as his hand slipped around to the back of her head, tangling deep in her hair, pulling her face to his and capturing her lips hungrily. Maliya's nails dug into the back of his neck as she was once more swept away by the feel of his lips against hers. Her thoughts stuttered to a halt, her nerves fading away as warmth began to spread through her body, starting in the pit of her stomach and working it's way down to her toes.

All she could do was feel. The soft, yet insistent feel of his lips against her own as he deepened this kiss and slipped his tongue into her mouth. His hand sliding down to the small of her back to pull her as close to him as possible, the evidence of his arousal pressed against her stomach. The shudder that danced down his spine when she accidently yanked his hair after he nipped her bottom lip.

Maliya felt as if she were caught in that library tower fire again. Her body was an inferno and Robb was only serving to ignite the flames. Eventually Robb pulled away for air, tilting her head to the side so his lips could trail down the side of her neck, and Maliya was left panting up at the ceiling, her hands clutching his shoulders. A startled gasp left her as his lips reached where her pulse was hammering in her throat and Robb paused at the sound before repeating the action in order to wrench the sound from her again.

Pulling away slightly, breathing heavily, Robb grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest above where his own heart was pounding just as quickly as hers. Taking a deep breath, wondering if he was only going to move at her pace, Maliya gathered her hair in her hand, bringing it around to the front of her body and turning her back to expose the lacings of her dress to him. He hesitated only slightly before she felt his fingers begin to undo them. She bit her lip as she felt his skin against hers, and had to hold the material of the dress to her chest as it loosened.

When he finished, she stepped away and turned around to face him, trying to steel the nerves that had suddenly returned full force. Robb was about to see parts of her that no man had ever seen, and she was feeling an insecurity that she had never felt before. "Maliya?" Robb questioned softly, his voice still husky with desire. "Are you – "

His voice trailed away as Maliya swiftly and decisively removed her arms from the sleeves of the dress, which pooled at her feet. His eyes stayed on hers as she stepped over the dress towards him in just her shift, and she counted to five before he lost the battle with himself and his eyes strayed farther down, a line of fire following the path of his gaze.

Maliya fought the urge to cover herself, knowing that this shift didn't leave much to the imagination. She watched him step closer to her, a strange look on his face as he gently lifted the necklace out of her shift, the sun sitting in the middle of his palm. "You're wearing the engagement present that I gave you," he muttered, an odd tone to his voice.

"Yes," she murmured, tilting her head to the side as she watched him. "Ever since we agreed to start over." She was beginning to feel unnerved as he stared down at the necklace, his mouth parted. Shifting slightly, Maliya cleared her throat, his eyes jumping back up to hers. "You're wearing too many clothes," she told him in a low voice.

There was no trace of a smirk on his face as he gazed down at her, letting go of the necklace. "What would you like me to remove?" He asked, his voice quiet and rough.

She stepped closer to him, her eyes locked on his as she carefully helped him remove his doublet from his shoulders. If he noticed her shaking hands while loosening the ties to his tunic, he didn't comment on it. Her hands slid down to the edges of the tunic and she pulled it up, helping him slip it over his head so he could toss it to the side. Her eyes trailed over his chest for the first time, her hands following their path as they traced from his wide, broad shoulders, down over his soft chest hair. She felt his muscles rippling beneath her hands as she traced down to his defined stomach, and without thinking of it, Maliya leaned forward and pressed her lips to the center of his chest.

A gust of air escaped his lips at the touch, his hands coming up to tangle in her hair. He allowed her to pepper small kisses over his chest before with a rumbling growl, he pulled her face back up to hers, his lips and tongue even hungrier than before. This heat, this attraction between them deepened and expanded, their movements becoming more frantic.

Maliya's trembling fingers trailed down to the laces of his breeches and he had to pull away for a moment to step out of his boots before helping her tug them down, exposing himself before her. Mailya looked down, her eyes widening at his size. Trying to distract her, he lifted her chin with a finger and pressed a kiss to her lips, his hands slowly moving up to her shoulders, carefully shifting the straps so they slipped down her arms and her shift joined her dress on the floor. "Beautiful," Robb murmured, pulling back, his eyes drinking her in eagerly. "Mine," he growled, crashing his lips to hers in a long kiss before hooking one arm around her back, the other sliding down to one thigh as he lifted her into his arms.

She gasped as Robb tossed her on the bed, laughing breathlessly as she bounced. His blue eyes glittered almost predatorily as he crawled over to her, looking every inch of the Young Wolf at that moment as he settled between her legs, the firelight dancing off his handsome face. The nerves kicked back in as she felt his hardness pressed against her thigh, but Robb seemed to sense this and he lowered his head to effectively distract her with a kiss.

Robb didn't kiss her long, his lips returning to her neck, making her gasp once more. Maliya did her best to relax, just trying to enjoy the new and incredible feelings Robb elicited from her while exploring her body. She felt his hand trailing up from her hip and she gasped when he reached her breast, pulling back slightly to carefully watch her reactions with his darkened blue eyes to see what she liked and didn't like.

Maliya was bombarded with sensation, as he rolled the hardened nub between his fingers, his eyes locked on hers as he lowered his mouth to her other breast. Heat zipped through her to her core, a surprised moan wrenched from her throat, her eyes widening. He hummed appreciately against her, sucking and lavishing her with his tongue and her hands dove into her hair, keeping him in place.

She felt the heat rising within her and her hips involuntarily thrust forwards, seeking something she didn't understand. "Robb," she groaned helplessly, and she felt him let out a shaky growl at the sound. His free hand slipped down past her stomach to touch her tentatively. She didn't even notice how clumsy his fingers were as he explored her for the first time. He temporarily pulled his face away for a moment, his jaw clenching as he carefully slipped a finger inside her.

Her eyes widened, her lips parting on a gasp at the feeling, her body clenching around him as he began to pick up a slow rhythm, adding a second finger when her hips began to rock against his hand. Her hands clutched at the sheets beneath her, her chest heaving and her eyes clenching shut, her body tightening, her head tilting back.

"Maliya," Robb whispered softly, slowing his rhythm and causing her to whimper in disappointment. "Maliya," he called again, his voice demanding.

Huffing in frustration, Maliya pried her eyes open, drowning in the blue of his own. Once he was sure he had her attention, his fingers finally began to move again and Maliya was panting once more, her back bowing off the bed as Robb's thumb discovered a part of her body that Maliya hadn't known existed. Her eyes stayed on his, desperately hoping that he wouldn't stop again. "Please," she whimpered incoherently, sweat making her hair cling to her forehead and neck. She was on fire, desperately searching for relief and Robb groaned as he watched her. He picked up his pace, his thumb adding more pressure and she was breaking apart with a shocked, strangled cry, her entire body tensing, as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.

Her limbs twitched as she finally floated back to herself, blinking dazedly as delightful twinges still occasionally zipped through her. Her gaze refocused, finding Robb looking down at her with wide eyes filled with awe and it sent another rush of warmth through her.

If this was what sex felt like than she didn't understand why she hadn't taken Arianne and Tyene's advice years ago, though a part of her wondered if it only felt like this because of the man she was with. Smiling lazily, Maliya raised her decidedly weak arms towards him and Robb obliged her, settling over her once more and allowing her to draw him in for another deep kiss. She felt the tension within his body, in the rigid way he held himself and the desperate way that he kissed her.

Gripping her thigh, he surprised her by rolling them over so she was straddling his stomach. She froze at the unexpected position, pulling down to look at him uncertainly. "It's alright," he murmured in a hoarse voice, his hands reassuringly moving up and down her thighs. "It hurts for girls for their first time," he explained at her perplexed look. "This way, you can control the pace and we can go however fast or slow that you want."

Maliya nodded hesitantly, placing her hands on his chest and lifting her hips. Robb helped her guide himself so that she was positioned above him, before placing his hands back by his sides and giving her total control. Taking a deep breath, Maliya lowered herself slightly, taking only the tip of him in until he hit her maidenhead when she paused. She knew she had two options. To go slow and handle the pain as it comes, or to get it over with all at once. Her eyes flickered to his, wondering what his reaction would be, before biting her lip and swiftly lowering herself onto him and taking him all in.

She dimly heard Robb's surprised, choked curse as she froze, grimacing and panting heavily against the sudden pain. Clenching and unclenching his jaw, nostrils flaring, he watched Maliya above him. "Are you alright?" He asked in a strained voice.

"I think so," Maliya panted. Truth be told, it wasn't as painful as she thought it was going to be. It wasn't entirely comfortable either because he was stretching her, but as she waited, it slowly began to fade. "Are you alright?" She asked him in concern, looking down at him.

Robb let out a shaky, breathless laugh, his hands coming up to lightly grasp her hips. "Oh, Princess, I can assure you, I've never been better," he told her in a deep voice.

Nodding and frowning slightly, Maliya looked down between them, carefully and slowly circled her hips, testing, and beginning to get used to the feeling of him inside her. A spark resonated inside her as she rolled her hips in a certain way, a reminder of the ecstasy that she had just experienced and her eyes fluttered shut at the feeling. She repeated the motion, lifting her hips off him slightly this time and finding she liked that even more.

"Maliya," Robb rasped, a warning tone to his voice that Maliya didn't register at first and she hummed in response to his voice. "Stop," he suddenly whispered frantically, his fingers digging into her hips hard enough leave bruises as he tried to still her movements. "Stop, stop, stop!"

"What?" Maliya asked in alarm, freezing as her eyes snapped open to look at him. "What's wrong?" His eyes were clenched shut and she was pretty sure that he wasn't breathing. She could feel his heart hammering against her hand at a pace that worried her. "Robb…?"

"Give me a moment," he ground out through gritted teeth, trying to get control of himself.

Maliya waited, hardly daring to breath let alone move a muscle until his eyes finally opened, so dark they almost looked black in the firelight. "Did I… did I do something wrong?" She asked, feeling the nerves return.

"No!" Robb answered hurriedly, letting out a breath. "Gods no, this is perfect, you're perfect! It's just that I'm already going to… and you're not…"

She caught on to his meaning at once and gave him a relieved smile, shaking her head. "It's alright, Robb, I don't mind. I didn't expect to – "

"We are married, Maliya, nothing is just about me anymore," he told her seriously. "I want us to experience this together." Maliya nodded, warmth spreading across her chest as his hands moved from her hips to frame her face capturing her lips once more, softly at first, before deepening it, their tongues meeting and withdrawing. Robb's hands trailed over every inch of her body, lingering here and there on spots that he had learned tonight, working her up once more until she was panting and trembling above him, desperately trying not to move over him.

"Robb," she breathed, shifting slightly and he swallowed harshly, nodding, wrapping his arms around her to hold her body close to his as her hips began to pick up speed. She desperately captured his lips again, her hands moving to either side of his head to hold herself up. He groaned against her mouth, hips thrusting to meet hers as he neared his end. She had to break away, resting her forehead against his as his breathed fanned against her face. His hand snaked between their bodies, fingers searching for that spot once more. Maliya's mouth opened in a silent scream as she broke apart again, unable to breathe. She was aware that moments later, his hips losing its rhythm, Robb's entire body tensed, a hoarse shout escaping his throat as he followed her over the edge.

When Maliya came back down to herself, feeling weightless, she found herself sprawled on top of Robb's body, her head on her chest. Blinking, she lifted herself up on shaky arms to see him watching her already, sweat plastering his curls to his forehead, a content smile on lips. "Was all this a name day present from you?" He teased, his hand lightly tracing up and down her bare back. "Because if so, it's the best one that I ever received."

"I guess I'm going to have a tough time topping this next year," Maliya chuckled breathlessly, wondering when her body would stop feeling both so light and so heavy at the same time. "Can we do that again?" She asked, hopefully.

Robb laughed, blue eyes twinkling as he watched her hide a sudden yawn. He pressed a sweet kiss to her lips before shifting her, tucking her to his side, one of her legs still tangled between his as he wrapped an arm around her back. "We can do that whenever and wherever you want, wife," he chuckled, pressing another kiss to her forehead. "But for now… just sleep."

"I'm not tired," she protested through another yawn. The exhaustion was sweeping over her swiftly, her body still feeling heavy and satisfied and combined with the feeling of Robb's fingers combing through her hair and his heart beating soundly under her cheek, she drifted off to sleep.

Her last coherent thought before she drifted off to sleep was that she was finally going to need the Moon Tea ingredients that her uncle had given her.

Author's Note: I hope that was alright for their first time and both of them stayed in character! The responses to whose POV were split pretty evenly, but I chose Maliya's because IgnisEtGlacies13 made a good point. From Maliya's POV it would show how much she has come to trust and respect Robb and I hope that came across in this chapter! Don't worry though, next chapter we'll have Robb's reaction to finally getting laid ;)

On a more serious note, I'm looking for someone who really knows the politics and geography of GoT to help me out. I admit that I'm not the best at either and I really want to write accurate chapters as the War of Five Kings gets underway. So if you feel you can help me, leave me a review or PM to let me know!

Next chapter: Robb's birthday, a conversation with Osha and the War of Five Kings officially starts (for Maliya anyway!) As always, if you have ideas or advice don't be afraid to let me know.

Review, review, review!

Boramir - Thanks for reviewing! I'm blown away and flattered that you can't think of any improvements lol hope you liked this chapter!

Guest 1 - Sorry, but we'll have a scene from Robb's POV next chapter! Thanks for your review!

guest 2 - I felt like I had to include Barristan, especially since he has a pretty large role in the show and books. Thanks for taking the time to review!

Deiron Lionheart - Glad you're liking the story so far, thanks for reviewing! I appreciated reading your thoughts on the chapter and I hope I can clear a few things up! I agree that her visits to the crypts won't go unnoticed, and we'll see some of that next chapter. Unfortunately, there was only one dragon egg intact when Maliya looked through the rubble, the rest were destroyed by the cave in. As for the other trinkets, they were vaguely described because the scene was from Maliya's POV and she isn't too interested in them at the moment. We might find out more about it later on! As for ice dragons, I don't know anything about them and would feel strange adding them in my story. As with any relationships, I wanted to show that everything isn't just all happiness, that they are still two separate people who won't agree on everything. As for Ned - we'll have to wait and see!

Guest 3 - I agree that the sexual portion is slower than usual. But given who Robb and Maliya are, I find it believable. Remember, Tyrion and Sansa never consummated their marriage because he was waiting for her to feel comfortable and trust him. Thanks for reviewing!

Guest 4 - Thanks for your review! We'll get Robb's POV next chapter!

Samantha - Thanks for reviewing! I appreciated reading your thoughts and I agree, couples argue and I feel like that's realistic to show.

louise - Haha your review made me laugh! Unfortunately there's not much I can tell you about either of those topics, I want it to be a surprise so you'll just have to wait and see!

Anna Na - I'm glad you liked the chapter! While I do agree that these past couple chapters were very relationship based, I felt it was necessary to build up their trust and understanding before the war really began - which is next chapter, so you don't have long to wait for more of the plot! I feel bad when writing the story sometimes, because Robb is this adorable trusting guy and Maliya is keeping some enormous secrets from him. As for being the Queen of Westeros.. it's an idea! I'll have to think more on it as we dive into the war. Hope you liked this chapter!