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Chapter 21 : Future Decisions
Seeing her in bed, peacefully sleeping, hair fanned over the pillows and looking like a beautiful mirage, he knew this would be something he'd missed when he went back South. He would also miss the tiny boy he had cradled in his arms, but he would return to see him grow and become a man, to teach him how to use a bow, how to ride a horse, to hear his laughter.
It was hard to believe that only a year before he was being ordered around by his parents, that he still was a boy. Now he had a son of his own, one to protect and raise to be his heir.
In Dany's face bloomed a smile before she opened her eyes. Her eyes fell upon them, on her two men; her babe and her husband.
"I thought I had been dreaming," she murmured as he approached her to hand her Iagan. She promptly kissed the soft cheek of the baby, feeling him squirming in which could only be described as happiness when he recognized his mother. Robb knew boys always sought for their mothers, it happened to him even then.
He was glad that his mother was returning soon to Winterfell after receiving the news of the attack and the birth of her grandson. Catelyn had no longer need to stay in Renly's camp, since he had died and his army had disbanded. Most of those men from the Reach would follow Randyll Tarly and join Robb and his army.
About the lack of reply from the Tyrells, Robb didn't care much. His army was big enough as it was and he dreaded the moment in which he would need to deal with the power-hungry lords of Highgarden. It was known why Margaery had been married off to Renly – as it was known the younger of Robert's brothers had no interest in women. Now that he was dead, there were rumors about her wanting to find a new husband, one with rights to claim the throne.
Robb sat close to Dany on the bed, watching with strange fascination how his son drank greedily from his mother breast, his plump hand holding onto her to feel her warm and supple skin.
The look on Dany's face, the awe and the smile was perfect. She was as enamored with her son as Iagan was with her, and for that he felt like the Gods had blessed him even during the difficult times.
"You're thinking too hard," Dany commented softly, forcing Robb to meet her gaze.
"He's a very strong boy, healthy." Robb sighed noisily through his nose, as if he felt guilty for not saying what he was really thinking about. "I need to return south soon. Now that Renly has died, our army needs to be guided, needs me to lead them. No matter the good job my lord Uncle is making, you know it is not the same."
"I know," she replied ruefully. "I know you wouldn't have needed to come if it hadn't been for the attack-"
"Dany," he called, his hand reaching to cradle the side of her face, gently rubbing the pad of his thumb against the apple of her cheek. "I should have come anyway. For my son and for you. Everyone should realize that we are no longer two strangers, that our union is the power that'll bring our enemies down."
She squared her shoulders, covering her naked breast and holding Iagan so his head rested against her shoulder. "You're the King in the North, that's enough to make them know who they should fear. I don't want love and family to be our weakness."
"But you've lost your hunger for power over me? Over our son?"
He saw the pain traveling across her face for a fleeting moment.
"Perhaps the anger that drove me is not strong enough. Perhaps I should see the birth of our son as my reason to fight."
"I don't want to be the reason for the fire in you to extinguish."
She chuckled softly, leaning forward to press a firm kiss to his lips. "I'm your Queen. Your only queen. I know what is going to happen from now on, now that one of the Usurper's brothers died. He was married to Margaery Tyrell, and she wants to be queen. My brother died and he was… betrothed, you could say, to Arianne Martell who could've also been queen."
Furrowing his brow, he tried to make sense of what she was saying but he couldn't. He didn't see danger in what she was saying. Marriages that hadn't taken place or widows that no longer held power didn't look like a threat.
"Why does this worry you?"
"Men tend to forget that, even if most participants in the game of thrones are men, women are big part of it. Generally we are assets, means to consolidate a promise. Marriages are unions. Heirs make even stronger bonds." They looked at Iagan and a moment passed in which Robb felt something burning inside him, not in a pleasant way. Was she implying this had all been part of a ruse? Had she used him to have an army? Had she been pretending?
Standing quickly, putting distance between him and the bed, he looked at her with an icy stare that conveyed a new expression on her face. She was regretting her words.
"Are you telling me our son is just… a new piece in a game?"
"No! No." Daenerys held Iagan close to her chest, burying her nose in the spot where Iagan's neck met his tiny shoulder. "I love him. I love you. But I can't deny I once wanted to just use you to get the throne. Not now."
"It wasn't better than my Lord Father marrying you to me, no matter how honorable his reasons were." He swallowed hard, smiling once he caught a glimpse of the barely open but bright eyes of his son.
"Robb?" Dany called, slipping out of bed. The cold light of morning made her gown look almost transparent. He could see the shape of a body he knew quite well, a body he longed to be wrapped around for all the nights to come in their lives.
He welcomed her by wrapping her in a lose hug, with their babe between them, safe from all evil and harm.
"What I meant before was that everyone will want a piece of the king. Everyone. And the easiest way for they to break a strong man whose army is as powerful as yours is by the finding a way to your bed."
"Dany," he whispered, threading his hand in the long strands of platinum hair, combing it until he curled his hand around her neck.
"Do not promise me anything," she spoke with a cold and decisive voice. Her eyes flickered with the fire he had seen the first night she had tried to seduce him. And he knew. As much as she convinced herself that she no longer craved the power, it was part of her nature. Instinct pulled her. "Let me deal with that. For no other woman will be enough for you. Only me."
When he smiled, his teeth showed like the ones of a wolf.
-o-
Rickon was as lively as he should have for a boy his age. His eyes lit up when Robb asked him to share with him everything that had happened during his absence. The youngest of his siblings told him all about how Daenerys spent time with him and also helped Bran, he said that Jhiqui had told him stories about the dothraki people and that it was a nice change from Old Nan stories, even if those were still his favorites.
"And Bran is always teaching Viserion new things. We have fun with him," Rickon gushed as he led him to the Godswood where the three dragon brothers had finally reunited.
As Robb studied the dragons, he realized how much bigger Viserion had grown compared to Rhaegal and Drogon. Standing in his back legs, Viserion stood as tall as Robb was, but of course the dragon was a much more fearsome creature. Still Rickon rushed to the beast and tugged on his wings as if it had been a rag doll, without fear. In return, Viserion gently laid his nuzzle on top of Rickon's head.
"Does he fly?" Robb asked, knowing that Rhaegal did fly but not very high.
Bran who was being carried by Hodor replied promptly. "As high as I used to climb." Robb looked at him, seeing some of the sadness vanished from his eyes. "You said we couldn't leave the castle but nothing about Viserion. He watches Winterfell from above."
Robb could only imagine what smallfolk thought when they saw the dragon circling in the skies, but by the look on his brothers' faces, it seemed like nothing bad had occurred until Balon Greyjoy's attack.
"You wish to ride him?"
Bran looked hopeful at him. "Yes. If I cannot be a knight of the Kingsguard, then I'll be a dragonrider. Dany promised she'd let me ride Viserion." Extending a hand, Bran let Viserion place his head under the palm.
It was incredible the way the dragon responded to Bran. If Robb thought about Rhaegal, it seemed unlikely to have that much control over the beast, even if Rhaegal was very loyal to him.
Rickon grinned and Robb saw he missed one tooth. Sometimes he forgot how much younger than him they were. "I'm working with Drogon now. But he's not as nice as Viserion."
Robb almost cringed when his wild little brother smacked rather forcefully Drogon's nuzzle. The dragon just growled but ducked his head.
"Well, then you might teach me how to train Rhaegal."
The green dragon lifted his head at the sound of his name. He was comfortably curled up with Grey Wind, both exhausted after battle and their travel, even after days.
Rickon nodded vigorously but a moment later he was running around the castle with three direwolves in tow, as Bran taught his older brother how to give orders to the dragons and not anger them. Firm love was what it could've been called.
It didn't take long for Dany to join them, helping them with their pronunciation of High Valyrian, which was certainly easier for Bran who had been under her tutelage for months. Robb grew frustrated with each word, his head started to throb with each new term.
"How do you know all this?"
She smiled at him. "Valyrio muño ēngos ñuhys issa," she told him, and his frown just deepened when she laughed. "Valyrian is my mother tongue."
-o-
After carefully giving his brothers the news of their mother return, Robb decided to speak to Dacey and the Kingslayer who would be in command of the guard keeping Winterfell safe.
"My mother won't be pleased with your presence," Robb told Jaime.
"So I've been told." Jaime wore a half-smile, daring, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "My brother and your Lady Mother aren't exactly… friendly towards each other. And we both know what has happened. It's a shame," he finished flippantly.
At that, Dacey used the pommel of her sword to hit him in the hip, provoking a glare from the man.
It amused Robb to notice Dacey was the only person who got under the Kingslayer's skin, challenging him and showing no fear in front of him, despite every story about the Young Lion.
"A shame will be when I leave your father with no lands," Robb retorted, slamming both fists against the desk between them. He stood up; his gaze was steel when he met Jaime's. "I'm giving you this opportunity because Daenerys believes you owe her. But I warn you, you'll wish I had cut your head off when you burn in dragonfire."
Jaime's face was expressionless. "Then I won't give her reasons to it."
"Or my brothers," Robb sat down. "They are raising those dragons as their own. Do you believe that they will be forgiving? Remember they also have direwolves under their command."
"Wild children the Starks, aren't they?"
The corner of Robb's mouth curled up. "The North is wild and unforgiving. We're raised to face the worst."
"Yeah, yeah," Jaime replied, rolling his eyes. "Winter's coming and all that. Believe me, I know I'm not welcome but as long as I have my head on my shoulders, your Lady Wife – the Queen in the North – will be kept safe."
Nodding, Robb turned to Dacey. "You know what to do in case he forgets how much his word is worth."
Dacey chuckled. "Yes, Your Grace."
"You know she's a woman, right? She couldn't handle me," Jaime rebutted but Dacey just elbowed him harshly.
"You're dismissed," the King in the North said.
Hearing them bickering as they walked away, Robb chuckled softly to himself.
As soon as his mother arrived, he would return to the Westerlands, to finish the job there, leaving the lands barren. The Lannisters would learn to not challenge the North ever again, to not awaken their wrath.
By dinner time, Dany found him as he walked to the hall. She seemed nervous but hid it well, telling him it was just tiredness because of the baby. Still he felt like something was wrong but, weren't many things at the time? War made him feel like that constantly.
His suspicions grew when he caught sight of Daenerys and Maester Luwin talking in hushed voices. The older man looked concerned over something.
"What were you talking about with Maester Luwin?"
Daenerys looked at him with wide eyes but a sweet smile on her face. Tilting her head to the side, she leaned forward, her breath tickling his ear when she said, "I wish to share the bed with you. Regrettably, Maester Luwin believes we should wait a few more days."
He couldn't help the way his lips curved into a smile, many things forgotten when she placed her hand on his thigh, under the table. "We'll wait." He took her other hand in his and kissed the back of it.
The grin on her face was simply wicked. Her hand squeezed his thigh and her lips felt warm against his cheek. "I'm sure we can still… spend the night together, my King." She sat straight again, looking ahead like a true Queen, but she turned to glance at him. "You'll only need me. I promised."
And perhaps truer words he hadn't heard before. But in that blissful state, Robb failed to notice the nervous looks between Maester Luwin and his wife.