Chapter 26 – Dreams
Just a few notes: Someone in the reviews called Catelyn 'naïve'. Catelyn is not naïve, she is desperate. Her husband has been killed and she has been separated from most of her children. Sansa is a hostage of the Lannisters, Arya has disappeared and is believed to be dead, Bran and Rickon are believed to be dead, only Robb remains at her side. Of course releasing Jaime was a big mistake, but in her eyes it was the only way to get her daughters back. Of course her deal with Walder Frey was bad, but her husband was a prisoner and they needed to cross that bridge as soon as possible. On the other hand Catelyn told Robb not to send Theon to the Iron Islands, Catelyn told Robb not to marry Jeyne Westerling, Catelyn told Robb not to execute Rickard Karstark. If Robb had listened to his mother, maybe he would still be alive. Catelyn is intelligent, well-educated and she understands politics far better than Robb or Edmure. Catelyn doesn't have the political talent of Olenna Tyrell or Tywin Lannister, but she has experience and she is able to see the long-term consequences. Catelyn made mistakes, but Robb made far worse mistakes. His greatest mistake was never listening to his mother.
Edmure is certainly not a better adviser than Catelyn. Edmure is hot-blooded and his actions on the battlefield are short-sighted. Yes, he defeated the Lannisters at the crossing of the Red Fork, but he didn't easily defeat Tywin in battle, Edmure defeated the Mountain and suffered heavy losses. Furthermore Edmure directly disobeyed Robb's commands. Robb wanted Tywin to cross the river and then be trapped in the Westerlands by the Stark and Frey forces there. Robb didn't reveal this plan to Edmure, but he explicitly told him to hold Riverrun and to stay at Riverrun. But Edmure left Riverrun and followed the Lannisters, preventing them from crossing the river and disrupting Robb's plan. Edmure's actions inflicted enough of a delay for messengers from the south to reach Tywin with word of Stannis' actions, allowing Tywin to turn his army around, ally with the Tyrells and save King's Landing from Stannis, resulting in a great victory for the Lannisters. Edmure's actions were causal for this.
Some guys requested a smutty scene, in this chapter you got it ;)
Myrcella
Myrcella was wandering through a snowy forest. There was blood on the snow and the wind was howling. And the wolves. Shivering and barefoot she was walking further. Freezing she tried to keep herself warm, but she was only wearing a thin dress of crimson and golden silk. The cold wind was biting through her bones. Exhausted and tired she was stumbling through the forest until she saw something golden in the snow. She was curious and wanted to examine it. Shaking Myrcella stepped closer. It was a stag. A golden stag. Perhaps this beautiful animal could show her a way out of the haunted forest. Myrcella slowly attended the golden stag. But then a shadow with a fiery heart savagely butchered it. There was blood everywhere and Myrcella screamed.
Then the shadow looked at her. It had a face. The shadow had a face. A familiar face, but she couldn't recognise it. But she certainly knew this face. It was a face from King's Landing, from the royal court. The shadow menacingly stared at her. Scared she retreated, but the burning shadow followed her. Myrcella sensed the heat of the shadow. Then a cold wind blew it away and there was only snow left. The butchered golden stag was nowhere to find. It made her sad. The animal had been beautiful. But Myrcella had to go further. She had to find a way out of the winter forest and so she continued walking until she saw a broken tower. Maybe she could seek shelter there. With new hope she entered the tower, but it was already occupied. A lion and a lioness were hiding in the tower, comforting each other gently. Myrcella knew she should run, the lions would eat her, but she wasn't afraid of them. Myrcella smoothly touched the majestic mane of the male lion. It was odd, but the lion didn't attack her. The lion looked at her with warm emerald eyes. But then the lioness struck at her with her paw. Screaming and terrified Myrcella awoke. She was dressed in silver-grey Northern wool. The thin dress of crimson and gold was gone. It had been a dream, she realised. A stupid nightmare. She had been sleeping. She had been sleeping on the hard floor, not in her bed. Every part of her body was aching. Why the hell she had been sleeping on the floor, she asked herself. Bewildered Myrcella got up and looked for Robb. But he wasn't there and she obviously wasn't in their bedroom. Confused Myrcella looked around. She was in a magnificent building of colourful marble. Myrcella promptly recognised some huge statues. The statues of the Seven. She was in the Great Sept of Baelor. What was she doing here? She was back at King's Landing. But she couldn't be at King's Landing. It was impossible. She had been dreaming, but now she wasn't any more. She had certainly woken up.
No, it wasn't impossible. It was entirely possible. It was possible for her to be at King's Landing, because she was still dreaming. Myrcella examined the sept and she saw a woman with golden hair grieving over the altar. Slowly Myrcella stepped closer and she saw the corpse on the altar. The grieving woman was her mother, but she couldn't see the face of the corpse. Was it Tommen? Jaime? Joffrey? Myrcella was unable to determine.
"Mother, can you hear me? It's me, Myrcella", she said.
But her mother couldn't hear her. Myrcella wanted to touch her, but she only touched empty air. Then everything exploded in a storm of green fire and Myrcella heard the sweet, pleased and cruel laughter of her mother.
"BURN THEM ALL!", her mother shouted.
Green fire consumed everything, and her mother emerged from the fire, terrifying and more beautiful than ever before. She was holding a black and burned rose in her hands. Smiling she looked at the dead flower and threw it away. Then her mother saw her.
"Myrcella, my beloved daughter. You are alive. You are alive. My last child", her mother said with tears in her eyes.
"Mother, I don't understand. Of course I'm alive", Myrcella responded confused.
"But your brothers...your brothers...They are dead. Both of them. The witch told me this would happen. The witch prophesied it", her mother said.
"Mother, I don't understand. What are you talking about?", Myrcella answered.
"I will show you. You will understand. Come with me, my daughter", Cersei said and took her hand.
"Mother, where are we going? Why are Tommen and Joffrey dead?", Myrcella asked her.
"Do you see that shack?", her mother said and pointed at a wooden shack in the sea of ashes.
"Yes, mother", Myrcella answered.
"It's the home of the witch. The witch will explain everything. Come with me, beloved daughter", her mother said.
Myrcella followed her mother and together they entered the half-ruined shack.
Myrcella saw the old witch and screamed. She had never seen someone more ugly.
"You are back, dear child. And you have company. Is this lovely girl your twin? Or you past self? Perhaps your better self?", the witch said laughing.
"Tell me again, old hag. When will I wed the prince?", her mother said.
"Never. You will wed the king", the witch answered.
"I will be queen, though?", her mother asked.
"Aye. Queen you shall be...until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear", the witch replied.
"Will the king and I have sons?", her mother asked.
"Oh, aye. Six-and-ten for him, and two for you. Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds, she said. And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you", the witch said.
"You can't frighten me again. I'm not afraid of you, old frog", her mother said.
"But you should be afraid. You should be afraid of her, Cersei Lannister", the witch responded and pointed at Myrcella.
"Your lovely daughter will betray you. She will betray you many times, each time worse than the last", the witch said and laughed.
"Traitor! How dare you?! I'm your mother. Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!", her mother shouted and slapped Myrcella.
"Mother? I don't understand anything. Mother...?", Myrcella tried to say.
"Traitor! Burn in hell", her mother angrily shouted.
With a loud scream Myrcella awoke and opened her eyes. The shack was gone and Myrcella was in another room. It was warm, but in a very unpleasant way. It was too warm. Now Myrcella was wearing a white dress, a dress of snow and she had a crown on her head. A crown of iron and bronze, cold and heavy. Myrcella looked around. She was in the throne room. It was empty. Myrcella noticed the collapsed roof. The walls of the throne room were blackened. Burned. But the Iron Throne was still there. Mighty and dark. Then she saw a young woman standing in front of the Iron Throne. The woman was unnaturally beautiful, with silver hair and purple eyes. She was dressed in red fire and cloaked with black smoke. Her appearance was majestic and she was wearing a crown of dark flames, but she had sad eyes. Empty eyes. This woman has seen too much death, Myrcella thought. All her power could not please her any more.
"Who are you?", Myrcella asked.
But the silver woman couldn't hear her. Again Myrcella examined the other woman's appearance. She could see her naked body through her dress of flames. Myrcella shortly thought about how it would be to kiss those wine-red lips, to toy with that silver hair, to touch those perfect breasts and to grab to those round hips. But Myrcella would never cheat on Robb, not even in her dreams. The woman was staring at the Iron Throne. Myrcella stepped closer and examined the fire queen with the silver hair. She was short, very short and hardly a woman fully grown. Myrcella was clearly taller than this queen. She was much taller than this queen. Myrcella rose to her full height and looked down on the other woman.
"Who are you?", Myrcella again asked again.
And again the fire queen couldn't hear her. The woman slowly ascended the stairs to the Iron Throne, but stopped shortly before she reached it. Shaking and doubtful the woman with the dress of flames was standing in front of the Iron Throne. She held out her arm, but she didn't touch the Iron Throne. Stunned and frozen the fiery woman looked at it. Then the fire queen with the silver hair turned around with fear in her purple eyes and she suddenly disappeared in a cloud of ice. The heat vanished with her and Myrcella felt the cold again. The cold was better than the heat.
Snow covered everything, including the Iron Throne. Snow. Only snow. Nothing else. Only snow and a single blue winter rose laying on the Iron Throne. It was a beautiful sight and the snow was soft. Myrcella touched the blue winter rose. It was warm and it smelled sweet, but the Iron Throne was cold and hard. It made her feel uncomfortable and Myrcella finally decided to leave the throne room. Then she saw it. It was in the distance. It was standing in the doorway. Taller than any human and beautiful in a terrifying, unearthly way. White, with bright, icy blue eyes. Horrified Myrcella stumbled and fell on the Iron Throne, impaling herself on the swords.
Screaming she opened her eyes and Robb was looking at her. She sensed cold sweat on her forehead.
"Myrcella, are you all right? You screamed", Robb said.
"It was a dream...Well, many dreams. Dreams within dreams. It was so real. So real. It was disturbing", Myrcella answered and pressed herself against his warm body to ensure that this was truly reality.
"Do you want to tell me? You can tell me everything, my love", Robb said and kissed her forehead.
"I will try. I have seen things, so many things", Myrcella said and looked at the open window. It was the forth day after Robb's coronation. She was a Queen now. It still felt strange. First a bastard princess, born of incest, then Lady of Winterfell and now Queen consort to the King in the North. Everything had happened so quickly.
A gentle, warm, southern breeze was coming through the window, together with the rising sun. And there was a crow on the windowsill. A big crow. The crow had three eyes.
"Did you see that?", Myrcella asked Robb.
"What?", Robb said a bit confused.
"The crow at the window. It has three eyes. Three eyes", Myrcella said.
Robb turned around and the crow flew away.
"It was just an ordinary crow. A bird. Nothing special", Robb said.
"But it had three eyes", Myrcella again said.
"Are you sure you are not dreaming any more?", Robb asked her laughing.
"Don't be rude", Myrcella answered laughing and kissed his lips.
"I apologise", Robb said.
"Sometimes you are a fool", Myrcella replied and kissed him again.
"So tell me about your dreams", Robb said.
"It was a familiar dream, but this time it had been more real than ever before", Myrcella said.
"So you dreamed of your mother, green fire, snow and death", Robb said.
"Yes...But I think I have changed my mind. I don't want to talk about it now. Maybe later", Myrcella answered.
"All right, let's get up", Robb said.
"I never said I want to get up", Myrcella responded with a grin, "Someone needs to cure me from this nightmare."
"Perhaps I know the cure", Robb said and gently kissed her neck.
"Yes, you do", Myrcella said and let her nightgown drop.
"A wonderful sight", Robb said and looked at her bare breasts.
"Stop staring and do what I want", Myrcella answered, placed a kiss on his forehead and pressed his hands against her breasts.
Then Myrcella sat herself on top and undressed him. She hungrily examined the hard muscles on his chest.
"Stop staring and...", Robb teasingly said.
But Myrcella didn't allow him to say anything more and silenced him with a kiss. Then she moved down on his body, covering his chest with kisses and opened his pants. He was already hard for her. Myrcella placed a kiss on the top of his hot manhood and Robb moaned in pleasure. Myrcella shortly glanced at his face and took it in her mouth. Slowly she circled her tongue around his warm length, with Robb's pleased moans in her ears. He took her head in his hands and gently pressed her against him and Myrcella sucked. Myrcella greedily sucked and licked on the warm flesh. Myrcella could feel his growing arousal and his moans were arousing her as well. She sensed a familiar heat between her legs and she slipped one hand down to touch herself. Fire was running through her veins, while she continued licking and sucking. Myrcella was bobbing her head up and down, while Robb moaned in pleasure. She enjoyed to have his manhood in her mouth. It perfectly fit in her mouth, she thought and sucked further, taking it entirely in her mouth. She felt how Robb's muscles tensed more and more. Myrcella kept swirling, licking and sucking until she needed to breath. Grinning she raised her head.
"You are a king now. A king needs strength. Show me your strength", Myrcella commanded and twisted on of Robb's nipples between her fingers.
Robb didn't disappoint her. He grabbed her hips, turned her around, pressed her against the bed and a second later he was inside her. It felt good. It felt so damn good to have him inside her body. To be united with him. Robb pushed softly and Myrcella moaned. She felt whole now. Robb pushed again, now a bit harder and she moaned louder. Robb kissed and licked her highly sensitive breasts and Myrcella almost lost control about herself. Her head seemed to explode.
"Robb, Robb! Yes! Yes!", she yelled out his name and grabbed his auburn curls.
A pregnancy had its advantages, she thought and pressed Robb's head against her body. His strong pushes were sending fire through her body and she tensed more and more. Myrcella wrapped her arms and legs around him and started rocking her hips. She wanted more speed, more strength. Now Robb was gently kissing and licking her breasts, then he moved to her neck. She sensed a glorious prickling on her skin. Myrcella managed to rise her head and pressed a hungry kiss on his forehead. She tasted salty sweat and she again kissed his forehead, licking a bit. Then she leaned back and allowed Robb to control her. She was saving her power for later. She just let him push and push. It was a good feeling. Her climax was still miles away, but pleasure was slowly building in her body. Robb raised his head from her breast and looked at her face. His sapphire eyes were wide open, his auburn curls dishevelled and his face sweaty. He was beautiful. Robb kissed her lips and he forced his tongue into her mouth, while he continued pushing into her. Their tongues clashed, twisting with each other and Myrcella managed to gain the upper hand in this tiny battle, pushing his tongue back in his mouth. With a triumphant grin she bit his bottom lip and Robb quietly screamed.
"You are cruel", he said with a mocking smile and shortly stopped thrusting into her.
That was the moment she'd been waiting for. Myrcella grabbed his muscular arms with her soft, elegant hands, sat herself on his body and straddled him on the bed. Now it was her turn. Myrcella gently took his head into her hands and fondled with his curls. Robb again moved into her and Myrcella moaned. She smoothly kissed his lips and then she pressed her hands against Robb's chest and started to ride him. Myrcella was shoving her hips back and forth. Softly at first, but she quickly increased speed. Naked skin was clashing against naked skin. The sound was driving her mad. Myrcella again leaned forward to reach his mouth and pressed a greedy, damp kiss on his mouth. Moaning Robb wrapped an arm around her and hold her close, while she was rocking her hips faster and faster. They kept holding the kiss until she needed air. Her head was on fire and sweat was running down on her skin. Myrcella slammed herself against Robb with all her strength and clawed her nails into his chest. Robb grinned and Myrcella licked tiny drops of his blood from her fingers.
"You are a savage. A savage wildling girl", Robb said, while their naked bodies were clashing against each other.
"You are mine. You are mine", Myrcella answered and softly bit his neck.
"More, Robb, It's not enough, I want it harder", Myrcella whispered in his ears and raised again.
Robb put his hands on her breasts and Myrcella screamed. Robb twisted her red, hardened nipples between her fingers and Myrcella screamed louder. She grabbed his arms and massaged her breasts with his hands, using their combined strength. A storm of wildfire was raging in her upper body and she continued riding him. She was slamming herself against him with all her force. Each thrust hit her like a thunderbolt. Myrcella sensed her building climax. Her golden hair was sticking on her wet body and sweat was running into her eyes. The world before her eyes became blurred, only Robb was still visible. Then her tensed body suddenly slacked down and hot pleasure was spreading in her body. For a few seconds her mind left this world, then the world returned. Pleased and satisfied Myrcella let herself fall on Robb.
He turned her around and moved on top of her again. Smoothly Robb pushed into her a few more times before he spilled his warm seed deep inside her body. Myrcella felt a familiar and kind warmth between her thighs. Robb placed a week and gentle kiss on her sweaty forehead and Myrcella cuddled in his arms, enjoying her post-orgasmic bliss.
Then they shared a hot bath and got dressed.
"Are you sure we don't hurt our child?", Robb asked her, while he put on his cloak.
"Oh Robb, you lovely fool, it is safe. Nothing can happen", Myrcella answered and put his hand on her mildly swollen belly.
"How long?", Robb asked her.
"Half a year", Myrcella replied.
"How will we name the baby?", Robb said.
"I'm not sure, but if it's a boy, only one name will be possible", Myrcella answered.
"Tell me, my love", Robb said.
"Eddard. If the baby is a boy, we will name him Eddard. We owe this to your father and it will make your mother happy", Myrcella said and stroked his auburn curls.
"I agree. This sounds good", Robb said and kissed her cheek.
"Fine. But now with have other matters to discuss. You wanted a council meeting with some of your lords in the early morning. You should hurry", Myrcella said.
"We should hurry. You are part of my council. I don't make decisions without you", Robb said.
"You are a perfect husband", Myrcella replied laughing and got up.
"But first I need something from the blacksmith. Wait here, I will be back in a few seconds", Robb said and got up too.
"All right, I will wait", Myrcella answered.
After Robb had left, Myrcella walked to the window. The three-eyed crow had been there. From this window the crow had looked at her after her disturbing dream. Three eyes. And the dream had been familiar. She had dreamed it many times. Myrcella was now convinced it was prophetic, but she couldn't understand the dream. It was too confusing. She understood the part about the lions in the broken tower, this was easy, but the rest of that dream? The butchered stag, her mother emerging from a storm of wildfire, the silver queen in the destroyed throne room. The tall and icy figure in the doorway of the Throne Room. It was too confusing.
The sigil of House Baratheon was a stag on a golden field. A golden stag, butchered by a shadow with a fiery heart; was this an ill omen for House Baratheon? Was this predicting the downfall of Stannis or Renly? Myrcella couldn't say it.
And the part about her mother? Her mother burning the Great Sept of Baelor, emerging victorious from the green fire, with a black, dead rose in her hands. Most disturbing was the scene with the witch. Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds. Was this predicting the death of her brothers? Myrcella would like it to see Joffrey dead, but Tommen? She loved Tommen. Tommen was innocent and sweet. The possibility was horrifying and she didn't want to think about it any longer. A bit nervous Myrcella opened the window and looked for the crow. But the bird was gone, only a mild wind tickled her face.
Myrcella closed her eyes and allowed the kind, southern sun to warm her face. Slowly the memory of her dream faded away, but Myrcella knew the dream would return. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Still confused she leaned out of the window. The view was beautiful. The Riverlands were green and bright, totally different from the grim and frozen forests of Winterfell or the reeking slums of King's Landing. And now a war was destroying those beautiful Riverlands. Joffrey was responsible for this war. Her brother's madness and stupidity. And her mother's incompetence to control her insane, lunatic firstborn. It made her angry. The whole realm was suffering, because a mad child was sitting on the Iron Throne. A knock on the door ended her rumination. Robb was back.
"Myrcella, I have something for you. Two things", Robb called her.
Myrcella turned around. Robb had a crown on his head. The crown was an open circlet of hammered bronze with engraved runes, surmounted by nine black iron spikes in the shape of longswords. Robb was holding a lighter and smaller copy of this crown in his hands, together with a short sword. Myrcella shortly closed her eyes. Her dream had predicted something like this. Even the appearance of the crowns. Not of gold, a crown of iron and bronze, with sword-shaped jags. Myrcella opened her eyes again, banished the dark dream from her mind and smiled at Robb.
"A King needs a crown. A Queen needs a crown as well. But Kings and Queens in the North don't wear fancy gold, their crowns are of iron and bronze. The metals of war and winter", Robb said.
"I like it", Myrcella answered and knelt before Robb.
"Myrcella, you don't have to kneel", Robb said smiling.
"But now I want to, my King", Myrcella responded.
"My Queen, now and always", Robb said and put the second crown on her head.
The metal was cold and heavy. A crown had to be heavy, no one should wear a crown light-minded, she thought and raised again.
"And this is for you as well. You wanted a sharp sword and I promised you to give you a sharp sword. The blade is short and fantastically light, but it is a real weapon. This blade is not a sparring sword, this blade kills. You know how to handle it, thanks to Lady Mormont. It is freshly forged", Robb said and presented her the short sword.
"Thank you, Robb. This means a lot to me", Myrcella answered and hugged him.
"I'm glad you like it, but now I need your advise, Myrcella", Robb said.
"Of course, just ask", Myrcella responded.
"I want to do something, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. We need more allies to defeat Joffrey and the Lannisters. The Tullys are not enough. Lysa Arryn doesn't answer to mother's letters and Dorne is too far away. The Tyrells have already declared for Renly and Stannis is our enemy. Only the Greyjoys are still unbound. I'm planning to send Theon back to his father. Balon Greyjoy has the largest fleet in Westeros and the Ironborn are famous warriors. The Greyjoys will attack the Lannisters from the west and we will attack them from the east. Theon will be able to convince his father to join us. Theon is my friend, we grew up as brothers", Robb explained to her.
"Yes, I can see the possibilities. The Greyjoys could be useful allies, but are you sure of this? Your father invaded the Iron Islands, together with Robert Baratheon. After Balon Greyjoy betrayed the realm and started a foolish rebellion. Are you sure?", Myrcella answered.
"My mother told me not to send Theon to his father. My mother agrees to negotiate with the Greyjoys, but she wants me to keep Theon at my side", Robb said.
"And what do you think?", Myrcella said.
"I trust Theon and I believe we will be able to overcome old hostilities. Starks and Greyjoys can be allies. Friends. But if I just send some random lord to negotiate, Balon Greyjoy won't respect my offer. Theon is Balon's last son, his heir. Surely Balon Greyjoy will be glad to have him back", Robb said.
"Then you should do it. You can't always follow your mother. You need to make your own decisions. You can't trust Balon, but you can trust Theon. I don't like Theon, but Theon likes you. Theon sees you as a brother and he fought for you in the Whispering Wood. Theon won't betray you. Send him to his father", Myrcella said.
"Good. Now we should attend the council meeting", Robb said and took her arm.
"And I will announce my pregnancy to the Northern Lords. We have waited long enough", Myrcella said.
Myrcella is not an idiot, she is inexperienced. She is smart, but she doesn't know anything about Ironborn culture. She knows nothing about 'We do not sow' and 'What is dead may never die'. Robb made a mistake and Myrcella made the same mistake. They both consider Balon Greyjoy just a typical Great Lord, like Mace Tyrell, Renly Baratheon or Hoster Tully. Someone you can negotiate with. Of course Balon Greyjoy is a stubborn, fiercely independent, short-sighted, stupid marauder, but they don't know him. Theon doesn't know his father any more. Robb is not perfect and Myrcella is not perfect. They made a mistake and they will have to deal with the consequences.
My story is NOT like: Robb is a military genius, but a horrible politician and Myrcella will always prevent him from making political blunders. This would be too simple.